Off the Slopes: MMSA honors Anderson with launch of art park
Sketches for the Mammoth Art Park show, as art and snowboard park unite in jumps, jibs, rails and other features of this first-ever undertaking.
By St. Marie
Perhaps you’ve heard of art in a park before, but what about art in a snowboard park? Didn’t think so, since it’s never been done before. But that’s the task Mammoth Mountain Ski Area has undertaken this season with Mammoth Art Park, starting with the I AM SNOWBOARDING art exhibit honoring Jeffrey Lin Anderson.
The art will literally be in an Unbound Terrain Park on the Mountain, in the jumps, along the rails and in the “jib-able sculptures” and other park features—huge pieces of colorful art right there in the snow.
According to Torrey Cook of Artists Republic for Tomorrow, the art advocacy group curating the first exhibit, the original idea came from MMSA’s Action Sport Brand Manager Josh Chauvet and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mark Clausen.
“They both see the good feelings that art brings within a creative community of people—such as mountain riders—and wanted to support that by getting MMSA more involved,” Cook said.
I AM SNOWBOARDING was a natural fit for the first show since it is an exhibit featuring art by some of the top names in the snowboarding world all made in memory of another great snowboarder from Mammoth who died in 2003.
Cook said that because the Jeffrey Lin Anderson (JLA) Project has done such wonderful things for the community, with the Brothers Skateboard Park already being a “ride-able art park” and the I AM… show, it made perfect sense to have that as the first Art Park of the four planned for the season.
Dustin del Giudice, a Mammoth local known for his amazing metal work, is heading up the creation of all the Art Park features.
“Del Guidice has worked closely with the artists as well as graphic designer Peter Stow to make sure the art submitted translates seamlessly into handrails, boxes, and other three-dimensional objects that go into the Art Park. Some of these features are becoming massive jib-able sculptures,” Cook said, adding that all this makes the paintings come alive.
If you’re wondering if you’ll have to ski or snowboard through the Art Park to see for yourself, Cook said, “Of course, there will be photos and art posted online, but there is no better way to see this art than if you are up close and personal. People that come through the Art Park, even if just for a look, are going to take home an experience to talk about for years to come.”
The Art Park opened on Saturday, December 18.
