DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Surfboards decorated by artists will be sold to benefit professional surfer Jason Bogle's cancer fund. These boards -- by Dean Bradley, left, David Choe, Andy Howell, Eric Haze and Dezeinswell -- are held by Ryan Arakaki, left, Alex Senar, Jun Jo, Rhandy Tambio and Todd Shimabuku. All but Senar are from In4mation, the Ward Warehouse shop that is hosting tomorrow's exhibition and sale. Senar is from Evil Monito, a Web zine that is co-producing the event.
Surfboards become canvases
in support of pro surfer Jason
Bogle's battle with cancer
SOME OF the surf industry's most popular clothing designers and artists have teamed up with Hawaii's surfboard shapers to present a benefit art exhibit this weekend at Ward Warehouse.
'Surf'
A benefit art exhibit for Jason Bogle.Place: In4mation, Ward Warehouse, 1050 Ala Moana Blvd.
On view: 6 to 10 p.m. tomorrow
Call: 597-1447
The artists
Dean Bradley, David Choe, Dez Eisenwell, Futura,Eric Haze, Andy Howell, Invisible:Man, Michael Leon, Alyasha Owerka-Moore, Jon Phenom, Angry Woebot,
The shapers
Akila Aipa, Paul Barga, Jon Carper, Dropout Surfboards Japan, Jason Kashiwai, Mike Woo
"Surf," an exhibition that showcases the surfboard as canvas, takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. tomorrow at In4mation. The event is being presented in response to news earlier this year that local professional surfer Jason Bogle had been diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer. The 25-year-old is living in California with his mother while undergoing treatment for his illness.
"We were going to make T-shirts and stuff and give him all the benefits," said In4mation co-owner Todd Shimabuku, one of the principals behind the art exhibition. But another of the store's co-owners (and pro surfer), Jun Jo, is a childhood friend of Bogle's and wanted to do more.
"It hit him pretty hard," Shimabuku said. "I saw the concern and said, 'What can we do?'"
Jo came up with the idea for "Surf," and the race to make the exhibit a reality was on. Taking advantage of his surf industry contacts, Jo got mainland-based entrepreneur Rickey Kim involved, and Kim quickly lined up an all-star cast of fashion designers and artists willing to participate.
"These guys that are doing all the art, they've worked with Nike ... they're coming out with their own books, doing a bunch of stuff," Shimabuku said.
Organizers also needed the help of surfboard shapers to donate blanks that would be used to produce the finished pieces. Local residents Jon Carver, Mike Woo, Jason Kashiwai and Akila Aipa all stepped up to donate boards, as did Dropout Surfboards, a Japanese company that sponsors Jo's professional surf career.
About a month ago, Jo had the boards ready for artists to start on, but instead of using a shipping company, he decided to make the deliveries himself.
"We packed them all up in Jun's big surf bag, and we flew him out to go pass them out," Shimabuku said with a laugh. "He went to L.A. first, then he flew to San Francisco and ... New York."
NOW THAT all the boards have arrived in Honolulu, the In4mation crew is stoked about the opportunity to help one of their hometown friends.
"I don't think anybody has ever done it," Shimabuku said about the exhibit, which might also be shown in Japan after the Honolulu show wraps. "It's a way to expose the surf guys to a different medium, you know?"
While all the boards will eventually be put up for sale on eBay and are expected to go for quite a bit of money, local residents are being encouraged to stop by and donate whatever they can afford during tomorrow's exhibition.
The cost of Bogle's treatment is expected to surpass $300,000, and although a number of benefit concerts and other events have taken place here and on the mainland over the last six months, Shimabuku believes there is still much more to be done.
"Jason has big sponsors which are, like, million-dollar companies, and we don't see any effort being put out on their parts," he said. "Maybe if we do this, it can spark something for bigger companies to actually work harder on it, you know?"
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