An exhibition made in connection with the opening of Katrineholm’s first proper concrete skatepark.
Growing up here in the late 80s and 90s, a park like that felt completely impossible to imagine.
Bringing the archive together
My youth was spent on a skateboard in Katrineholm, usually with a camera in hand. Over those formative years, I ended up building a massive archive of photos capturing skate spots and shenanigans.
With Hangup, I wanted to bring that material together and show the skateboarding history of the city. From the few who skated before my generation, through what we built and lived, up to the concrete park that would become the starting point for the next generation.
Designing the space
The exhibition combined framed photographs spanning several decades with a sculptural installation built from used skateboards. I covered the main gallery wall in raw OSB plywood to shift the atmosphere of the room and give the photos a backdrop closer to where they were actually shot.
The photography carried the narrative. A few rare shots from the late '70s established the starting point, followed by material from my own archive and close friends. Local skaters active after our generation chipped in photos to cover the recent years, making it a true collective effort.
Thirty-six years in the making
A few people skated in Katrineholm around 1978. Plans for a concrete park were drawn, letters were sent, but nothing happened at the time. Thirty-six years later, it finally did.
Alongside the exhibition, I edited and published a book under the same title. Hangup gathers all the photographs shown on the walls, a permanent record capturing decades of moments, spots, and sessions in and around Katrineholm.
The companion book
