Skateparks: Trace and Culture

Skateparks are undeniably youth-orientated spaces where contoured bowls, smooth concrete, steep ramps and angled ledges carry the embodied expectation that the sole purpose of the space is for skateboarding. Upon close inspection though, visible signs and traces reveal other activities occurring – meeting up, hanging out, hooking up, dropping out, graffiti-ing and worshiping, to name a few. This article presents a variety of visual traces that have been captured from over 60 skateparks, spanning six countries, where the resulting material demonstrates the complex relationships that occur both with and within these youth spaces. From the inane to the deeply personal, recurring traces demonstrate the important role that the skatepark plays in youth culture.