"1965 1987 1999" Art show at Escapist in KC

Last weekend I went to Kansas City, MO, for the opening of the “1965 1987 1999” art show at Escapist skateshop. Those dates refer to the year that each of the participating artists started skating—Tim Kerr: 1965, Me: 1987 and Henry Jones: 1999. Three skaters from different generations coming together to celebrate art and ‘boarding—that’s what this show was all about. Were we successful? You tell us. —Michael Sieben

Photos by Jake Wickersham and Kolby Newton


wtc escapist 1 wickersham 750pxDoors open at 7 PM. Bring your motorcycle if you got one

wtc escapist 2 wickersham 750pxGotta let your eyes adjust to the light

wtc escapist 3 wickersham 750pxLooks like we’re in the right place

wtc escapist 4 newton 750pxLet’s take a closer look at that Tim Kerr board wall

wtc escapist 5 newton 750pxTim is one of the most prolific artists I know. Which kinda sucks because it’s a constant reminder of how lazy I am

wtc escapist 6 newton 750pxIn need of some inspiration? Just dig into Tim’s work

wtc escapist 7 wickersham 750pxAsk Remy Stratton. He’ll verify

wtc escapist 8 wickersham 750pxEven the doomsayers welcomed Tim’s work to KC

wtc escapist 9 wickersham 750pxHenry Jones, letting it all sink in…

wtc escapist 10 wickersham 750px…and never too busy to sign a memento for the people

wtc escapist 11 wickersham 750pxSpeaking of HJ, the first 60 people through the door got a free Henry Jones X Volcom t-shirt.  Dillon Aguilar and David Nook got there while the gettin’ was good

wtc escapist 12 750pxNice catch!

wtc escapist 13 wickersham 750pxFrom real life to the Internet to real life back to the Internet—the cycle of life is complete

wtc escapist 14 wickersham 750pxHenry’s work never fails to elicit the LOLs. Dillon Aguilar and Scott Walters can attest to that

wtc escapist 15 wickersham 750pxJason Bontrager, too

wtc escapist 16 wickersham 750pxI, too, had some work in the show

wtc escapist 17 wickersham 750px“Hmm… just as I suspected: more skulls and ramps and shit…”

wtc escapist 18 wickersham 750pxI’m the dork in the middle flanked by Tim Kerr and Ryan Pearce. Ever seen this part? Still holds up. Also, that’s not Tim’s beer. Don’t stress, ‘edgers

wtc escapist 19 wickersham 750pxI imagine the conversation going something like this: “So, a seatbelt is when you grab the tail with which hand?” Thomas Minor and Remy chat it up

wtc escapist 20 wickersham 750pxNear the end of the evening, there was a commotion surrounding the pool table

wtc escapist 21 wickersham 750pxCoulda guessed: rollin’ them bones

wtc escapist 22 wickersham 750pxLooks like after-party beers are on DJ Stewart!

wtc escapist 23 newton 750pxDid I mention each of us designed a shop deck for the event? No? Well, I swear we did. Left to right: Tim, Me, HJ. Hit up Escapist if you’re in the market

wtc escapist 24 askew 750pxThree skateboarders of varying degrees of age, making art, meeting new friends, participating in a greater conversation. There’s nothing special about any of us. You and your friends can do this exact same thing. Tim signs all of his paintings as “Your Name Here,” for a reason: anybody and everybody can participate. All you gotta do is show up and put in the work.

wtc escapist 25 wickersham 750pxHuge thanks to Nick Owen and Dan Askew for hosting the event and holding down the KC skate scene so hard. As always, support your local shop if you still have one. Also, big thanks to Volcom Skate for sponsoring the event. We get by with a little help from our friends. See you in 2020, Escapist!

  • Remy Stratton's "Volcom Skate Vitals" Video

    Remy Stratton's "Volcom Skate Vitals" Video
    Remy shows off Volcom's cover archive and walks down memory lane with Appleyard, Rune, Louie and more legends to drop his last line for the Stone.
  • P-Stone Cup 2024 Photos

    P-Stone Cup 2024 Photos
    The fifth annual P-Stone Cup brought out an all-time cast of legends and current stars. Joe Brook reports from the course to bring you a close-up view of the action.
  • “Sh*t Show” at the Art Room DTLA

    “Sh*t Show” at the Art Room DTLA
    You might know know Remy Stratton from his photos in the mag or as the guy at the helm of Volcom skate, but he's also got a two-piece band about to rock the house in LA. Get the details here.
  • Burnout: Peter Hewitt Weekend

    Burnout: Peter Hewitt Weekend
    The Antihero team descended into San Diego to rip it up and help celebrate the awesome force which is Peter F—in’ Hewitt. A few grinds, a few laughs and a big blow-out photo show with a special video and musical guest made this bash one for the history books. Who should we celebrate next?
  • Burnout: BHADW2!

    Burnout: BHADW2!
    LA pulled up hard for the first major premiere of the year ––Baker Has a Deathwish Part 2 brought friends, fans and family from Philly, Torrance, Florida and beyond!