With the thought of winter knocking on the door here comes an impressive three way project between Arkitip, Michael Leon and Pendleton Woolen Mills. The outcome is a fantastic blanket, which is a core product from Pendleton Woolen Mills who have a rich history dating back more than a 100 years, and with Leon’s rendition one that reflects the artists style it doesn’t get much better has been designing and manufacturing the world’s best woolen blankets.

“Having grown up a skateboarder in the South, and moving to California in 1993, It has always been a very important image to me both in respect to my personal history and as an exemplification of how I strive to communicate ideas both simply and poetically. I have worked with Arkitip on various projects and exhibitions throughout the years and when the opportunity came to design a blanket with Pendleton, I knew that this would be the appropriate image”.

Pendleton Woolen Mills by Michael Leon for Curated by Arkitip is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

In April 2011, Sebo Walker, Cameo Wilson, Mark Schlosser, and Michael Leon got in a van to tour the Northwest USA with their skateboards and an exhibition of Stacks graphics. In SF, Portland, Vancouver BC, then Seattle, Sebo and Cameo filmed by day and attended Stacks opening receptions at night. This video is a small excerpt of what went on.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cult of Stacks Northwest Tour (VIDEO) is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

I can’t believe it’s been 11 years, but there you go. Cult of Stacks…11 Years of Stacks design and skate photography by Eric Elms, Kevin Lyons, Geoff McFetridge, Michael Leon, Evan Hecox, Paul Stec, Laura Leon, Steven Harrington, Nick Neubeck, Rick Myers, Paul Hutchison, Mark Owens, Bob Kronbauer, Matt Irving, Rob Abeyta Jr., Mike O’Meally, Jon Humphries, Joshua Petherick, Andy Jenkins, Jonathan Zawada, Gillian Schwartz, and more…

Featuring skateboarding by Reese Forbes, Dani Lebron, Sebo Walker and Cameo Wilson and presented by Charlie Trading and Beams and hosted by Kevin Lyons and Michael Leon… if you’re in Tokyo, come out and support!!

Cult of Stacks
March 18-31
Opening Reception Friday March 18 19:00-21:00
Beams-T Harajuku
Location

After Party at Hiki Cafe 22:00-24:30
Location

‘Cult of Stacks’ Opens in Tokyo is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Stacks is giving you the chance to win the upcoming Skull Board Series as well as one of Michael Leon’s Golden Skulls.

To enter, go to the Stacks Facebook Page and hit the ‘LIKE’ button to be entered in the contest. You will be entered to win one of Michael Leon’s Gold skulls, which is limited to only 10 available worldwide, as well as all three sizes of the upcoming Skull Board Series.

A winner will be chosen on Monday the 14th of February. On that same day, the remaining 9 skulls will go on sale in The Stacks Shop. Check their Facebook page for exclusive updates on the team, early product previews, and more giveaways…and follow Stacks on Twitter.

Michael Leon’s Skulls Up For Grabs is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

NOS Plastic and Metal Freeformers. Yong-Ki from Solitary Arts found these deadstock on a pallet of decomposing cardboard boxes at and old toy warehouse in Brooklyn. All branded with Torrance, California on each component from the trucks to the wheels. (Link)

Two Birds Fly Kyle Field Model. Beautiful boards from a small family of artists and shapers from San Francisco. (Link)

Estwing Hammers. Buy a great one once and you will never need another. Estwing, out of Rockford, makes some of the best. (Link)

Suminagashi (Marbling) Kit. I experimented with this a while back with no success. Like most crafts, I figure there’s gonna be a way to subvert the traditional method and come up with something new. Gillian Schwartz brought this technique up recently and we are working towards using it to create skateboard graphics. (Link)

Singer HD110 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine. Commercial speed and durability at a consumer price. (Link)

All I Want for XMAS by Michael Leon is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

One of our favourite designers, and one of our favourite publishers, Michael Leon and Nieves have got together to publish Leon’s newest selection of works entitled ‘A Curious Catalogue’.

A Curious Catalogue is a skateboard product catalogue of pencil drawn anti-graphics, spin-art wheels, and slalom gemstones. It was designed to take a romantic and fantastic vision of a skateboard company and make it ‘real’. Michael Leon was inspired by the naïve wonder he experienced as a young skateboarder, which he juxtaposes with an elegant, yet dry, catalogue sales format. The result is a carefree and poetic narrative carried by a range of imagined products.

Available now.

Michael Leon ‘A Curious Catalogue’ by Nieves is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Having applied his unique technique here is an edition of Michael Leon’s renowned Skull creation that is exclusive for Arkitip. Handmade acrylic paint balls applied with air gun to individually hand-poured solid gypsum with no piece identical this makes for a compelling piece.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Michael Leon Skull Edition for Arkitip is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

I’d like to express myself by saying I’d like one of each… thanks Santa, in advance. All Stacks boards in these series come in SOS (Small), Stacked (Medium), and Spits (Large).

Sydney based mixed media artist, Jonathan Zawada. Zawada has produced works for clients such as Modular Records, The Presets, Universal Music, and BMW. He’s renowned for constantly evolving and pushing his style in new directions using media contrasted with traditional production methods.

Artist Steven Harrington lives and works just a few minutes away from the Stacks studio in Los Angeles. His Balance Series (Stacks:Reese Forbes pro models) was created from original pencil drawings. The use of a proprietary gradient stain effect developed by Stacks gives the boards just the right feel. The colors and drawings are a perfect match  for a guy who includes Time Life encyclopedias from 1965 to 1972, thrift stores, and the ’60s psych sounds of The Moody Blues as his influence…

Stacks Holiday 2010 Collection Decks is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Here is a look inside the much talked about exhibition from Michael Leon entitled ‘Vexhall’. Curated by Arkitip, this latest series of work features a series of quite fascinating flags which take inspiration from the title “Vexhall” which originates with the term vexillology (lat. vexillum flag an suffix-logy “study off”). Bringing together an interest in The United Nations, Olympics, World’s Fair, and other idealized visions of world community this makes for a compelling installation.

Michael Leon ‘Vexhall’ Exhibition Curated by Arkitip is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Michael Leon’s much awaited Vexhall exhibition at Pool Gallery in Berlin. This film is a part of the video installation to be on show. We can’t wait to see more.

“Since I was a child I’ve been fascinated by flags. The United Nations, Olympics, World’s Fair and other idealized visions of world community have always inspired my artwork and design. This show combines pieces that draw literally from flag design mixed with my own design sensibility and personal history. By going back and forth between reverence and irreverence for vexilollogy, I have created flags for real and imagined countries, events, friends, emotions, ex-girlfriends, and everything inbetween. Some using the strict guidelines of flag design next to some that may have been scribbled on a napkin or inspired by a dream. In doing so this Vexhall (Hall of Flags) is my own personal and nostalgic United Nations.”

Michael Leon, Vexhall
Curated by Arkitip

2 September – 1 October 2010

Opening reception 2 September 2010
19:00 – 22:00

Pool Gallery
Tucholskystrasse 38
10117 Berlin Germany
+49 30 243 42 462 Telephone

Michael Leon ‘Vexhall Eclipse’ Video is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

pool gallery presents American artist and designer Michael Leon’s first solo show in Germany. The exhibition entitled, “Vexhall” originates with the term vexillology (lat. vexillum flag an suffix-logy “study off”).

Since his childhood Leon has been fascinated by flags. The United Nations, Olympics, World’s Fair, and other idealized visions of world community has always inspired his artwork and design.

Vexhall is composed of pieces that draw literally from flag design, mixed with Leon’s own design sensibility and personal history. By going back and forth between reverence and irreverence for vexillology, Leon has created flags for real and imagined countries, events, friends, emotions, ex-girlfriends, and everything in between. Some using the strict guidelines of flag design, next to others that may have been scribbled on a napkin or inspired by a dream. In doing so, this Vexhall (Hall of Flags) is Leon’s own personal and nostalgic United Nations.

pool gallery

Tucholskystraße 38  10117 Berlin-Germany

Michael Leon ‘Vexhall’ Exhibition Curated by Arkitip is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

This Wednesday and Thursday, my good friends up in Harlem at the Maysles Institute will be screening skate films that are all about NYC!! Wednesday night will be showing “Deathbowl to Downtown: The Evolution of Skateboarding New York City” in honor of Andy Kessler. Followed by a screening on Thursday night of “Legends Never Die,” in honor of Harold Hunter, “15 Years of NYC Skateboard,” by R.B. Umali, “In the Streets,” by Steve Marino, and “55 Nights on Your Couch,” by 5boro.

Don’t forget to show up early on Thursday.. 6pm should be good, to skate at Lenox Ledges (110th and Lenox) before scooting your way up to the theater. Screenings start at 8pm, with a reception afterwards.

And if that wasn’t enough, the kind people at Commonwealth Stacks Skateboards (Thank you Michael Leon and Mark Schlosser!!) have donated boards for you to win!!  Laura Coxson at the Maysles Institute was kind enough to send over some pics of Albert Maysles holding up the some of the decks that will be raffled off.

If you can’t skate or like me, have a bad hip and can only go 1 mile and hour, it doesn’t matter. It’s all about having a good time, supporting the arts, supporting skating and having a fun, fun time. See you there!

Let’s Go Skating in NYC this Wednesday and Thursday! is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

Michael Leon is to open his first solo show at Pool Gallery in Berlin on September 2, 2010. The show, running through to October 2010, has a teaser video out (see below) already to give you glimpse into the new show.

Pool Gallery

Tucholskystrasse 38
10117 Berlin Germany
+49 30 243 42 462 Telephone

Video from Arkitip

Michael Leon ‘Vexhall’ Exhibition Curated by Arkitip is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

special event that pairs Bodega’s large scale vinyl art editions with BoConcept’s interior design. We are hosting

an event on Thursday June 3, 2010 from 6-10pm in Santa Monica, CA. If you are in the Los Angeles area please

RSVP for the event (rsvp@itsbodega.com).

A few images of the BoConcept Santa Monica Showroom, featuring Bodega editions by Michael Leon,

Hisham Bharoocha, Cody Hudson, Michael Leon, and Kenzo Minami.

Article 011: ART+DESIGN is a post from: SLAMXHYPE

I was going to start this introduction, with.. “Michael Leon, might be best known for…”, but that could be a any number of projects or roles the artist has taken. His role at Nike SB, Nike Sportswear, his own exceptional art which has seen him collaborate with endless high profile names, and of course his own label Stacks… but this year is about the return of Stacks for Leon, the skate brand with so much promise this year, we can’t wait to see more.

Name: Michael Leon

Location: Los Angeles, California

What are you reading? All for a Few Perfect Waves by David Rensin

What are you listening to? The Clientele, God Save the Clientele

Favourite artist? Gabriel Orozco. In particular his environmental intervention photographs.

Favourite movie? Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point

I am influenced by…. My own process and dissecting it’s means to get to the next starting point.

Do you parents understand what your job is? Yes and they are very supportive.

I spent last night… Sick in bed watching the Spanish Grand Prix

What do you eat for breakfast? Coffee

Favourite thing to do in your city? Drive a motorcycle on a sunny day

Whats something people might not know about you? I do a lot of consulting work that no one ever sees

What are you working on this week? New work for an exhibition in Berlin this summer

5 Minutes with… Michael Leon is a post from: SLAMXHYPE