Birth of Surf: The 1960s and 1970s Documentary Photography of LeRoy Grannis
Reception: Thursday,
July 16th, 2009, 6:00 - 8:00pm
Exhibition on view
June 22 - August 21
American Institute of Architects / Dallas Center for Architecture
1909 Woodall Rodgers Frwy., Suite100, Dallas, TX 75201
Curated by Cynthia Mulcahy For more information: http://www.dallascfa.com
In the early 1960s in Hermosa Beach, California, surfer and amateur photographer LeRoy Grannis began documenting
the burgeoning surfing scene along the
Southern California coast. In retrospect what he captured was surfing’s
golden
years and the evolution from a DIY culture of
surfers making their own boards, surf zines and films to mainstream
media’s
adoption of a new American heroic figure: the surf
god. With his pluck and cool insouciance, the surfer defined the new
modern archetype and Hollywood and the advertising
industry fell hard, producing big-budget films and using
iconic surf
imagery to help sell cars, vacations, and
fashions to a nation of new mass consumers.
LeRoy Grannis recorded with his camera lens the entire surfing lifestyle in California and Hawaii in the 1960s and 1970s:
the tanned surfers, the beach crowds, the surf fashions, the skaters, the surf contests, the surf graphics, the architecture,
the cars and the landscape. As a co-founder of Surfing International and later as photo editor of Surfing IIlustrated, Grannis
became one of the most important documentarians of his time, capturing an era and a lifestyle that defined a shifting American
identity in the modern period of the 20th century: a halcyon time
between the Beat Generation of the late 50s and the yet to be
formed Hippie counter-culture of the 70s. Just in time for summer 2009, this important exhibition of LeRoy Grannis’ gorgeous
body of photographs, organized by independent curator Cynthia Mulcahy for the American Institute of Architects / Dallas
Center for Architecture's beautiful new space, and free
to the public, offers us a nostalgic look back at the influential Sixties
and Seventies decades.
- Cynthia Mulcahy
* During the July 16th, Thursday reception, a DJ will be spinning surf vinyl: everything from the Hawaii Five-O theme song,
Wipe Out, Dick Dale and the Del-Tones to remixed Beach Boys and surf
guitar classics. In addition, Bruce Brown's 1961
surf movie classic Surfing Hollow Days will be screened from 6:00 to 8:00pm during the reception. Surf's up dudes!
Taschen's recently published monograph of LeRoy Grannis' documentary photography:
Leroy Grannis: Surf Photography of the 1960s and 1970s
Taschen link: http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/photography/all/01048/facts.leroy_grannis_surf_photography_of_the_1960s_and_1970s.htm
After fourteen years as a public space, Mulcahy Modern since 2007 is currently focused on independent curatorial projects and private
dealing. Current curatorial projects include an exhibition of LeRoy
Grannis' documentary photography of the birth of the American surf
culture in the 1960s and 1970s at the American Institute of Architects / Dallas Center for Architecture's new space, June 22nd through
August 21st, 2009.
Birth of Surf: The 1960s and 1970s Documentary Surf Photography of LeRoy Grannis
For more information on Birth of Surf: The 1960s and 1970s Documentary Surf Photography of LeRoy Grannis: click on Upcoming Exhibitions menu button above
Os Modernistas, an expanded exhibition with catalogue of Brazilian photographers of the modern period;
and an exhibition of conflict photography
co-curated with art critic Charles Dee Mitchell.
Akintunde Akinleye Left and right: Pipeline explosion, Lagos, Nigeria
Akintunde Akinleye: Niger river militants
All images and content copyright Mulcahy Modern.
