Studio Albin Holmqvist brings typographic punch to the monograph of skate legend Mark Gonzales

Since entering the skateboarding world at age 13, and appearing on the cover of Thrasher Magazine just three years later, Mark Gonzales aka ‘The Gonz’ has developed a reputation as not only a pioneer of street skating but one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. Regularly hailed for his fearless and uncompromising creativity, Gonzales has pushed boundaries beyond skateboarding through collaborative ventures with brands including Adidas, Supreme, RETROSUPERFUTURE, JanSport and Études. In 2017, Gonzales, his wife Tia Romano and photographer Sem Rubio travelled to Palermo, Italy for an impromptu skate trip. On their return, Rubio realised that despite only being away for five days, he’d taken “so many good photos.” An idea popped into his head, and after a handful more trips, it became a reality – a part-skate, part-portrait monograph peering directly into the mind of the iconic skateboarder. In addition to Rubio’s photography, the resulting book features artwork and poetry from Gonzales, and high profile interviews with Spike Jonze, Tom Sachs, Gus Van Sant, KAWS, Tony Hawk, Ed Templeton and Hiroshi Fujiwara; all showcased through a lusciously tactile graphic treatment from Studio Albin Holmqvist. Twelve months of iteration to find a unified vision between designer, photographer, subject, publisher (Rizzoli New York) and producer (Cascade Berlin) followed; eventually leading to a utilitarian design approach that champions Gonzales’ story through bold typography and vibrant colour.