Skate at MACBA 2
One of the reasons that explains the good health of skateboarding is the fabulous urban design that Barcelona has offered since 1992. "It usually goes hand in hand with a relaxed atmosphere, good food, good flooring, friendly people," says skater Stefan Janoski in an interview offered to Uno Skate Magazine.
** Uno Skate Magazine , a perfect publication to take the pulse of this trend** born in California when surfers were bored because there were no waves, narrates in one of its articles that it all started when "the video magazine 411VM released a couple of reports focused on Barcelona". The second of them, recorded and edited by Anthony Claravall, was decisive for the start of the boom. He qualified it with the magic words "the best kept secret". A little later, "tours organized by North American brands sent their pros to the city to record and photograph themselves," they comment.
Skate scene in Barcelona
Of all the spots, and there are many, **the sanctum sanctorum of universal freestyle has been, for years, Plaça dels Àngels del MACBA**, which brings together everything skaters daydream about (according to Uno Skate Magazine: "If you take a look at the place, you would think that the architect skates and designed it with all the intention : in the square there are curbs of different heights, one with a medium-sized drop, another with a larger drop, a long curb with stairs, a set of five stairs to conclude rounds..." In addition, this square is located in the heart of the Raval and close to mythical specialized shops such as Hey Ho Let's Go (Ferlandina, 22) which has just opened another second-hand one very close by.
The MACBA esplanade
DOES THE CITY BELONG TO THE PEOPLE?
But not everything is joy and good atmosphere. Since its inception in the 1970s, skateboarders have been in a never-ending battle with the police trying to "protect" these public spaces. In the museum, the urban guard tries to prevent slipping, fining and requisitioning materials. In this battlefield, MACBA's opinion on the matter will be decisive in imagining whether the skater's world spot will disappear forever.
The museum has decided that next year it will take advantage of the square and turn it "into a fundamental space" where "various activities will be programmed, among which there will be some related to urban culture," according to the museum's manager, Joan Abellà, who assured that they are "Aware that it is a public space, a meeting place, coexistence and creativity".
But the question remains in the air until we know what activities will be carried out and whether or not they have a cost for the public of the public space. A few months ago, Nike produced an event right here in which all skaters were invited to participate along with the brand's national team. That day it was possible to skate at the MACBA.
This weekend the documentary was premiered at the Moritz Factory in Barcelona 'Skateboard, a history of skateboarding in Spain' . On November 30 and December 1 you can see La Casa Encendida in Madrid.