As you may have guessed, surfing is the theme behind Letheshome 's new collections: Summer Days and Jumping Into The Sea . Behind these collections is the artist Sickfaces .
The origins of surfing
The origins of surfing are not a matter of consensus. With no place or date attributed to it, especially because human contact with the sea is timeless, it is believed that this activity originated in the Pacific Ocean.
Although Peru claims its origins - more than 4,000 years ago, with objects made of cane, similar to today's surfboards, they "slid" on the waves in what we now know as bodysurfing -, the origin of the art is generally attributed to the Polynesians, more specifically to the people of Hawaii , where its popularity is, today, global.
Surfing as a cultural symbol
“Surfing was a central part of ancient Polynesian culture. The leader of a community was always the most skilled on the waves, with the best board, made from the best tree.(...)
(...) The upper classes had access to the best beaches and the best boards, while the commoners did not have access to certain beaches. However, even the lower classes could aspire to gain this access and prestige, if they demonstrated surfing ability”, we can read on the website surftotal.com .
Hawaii as the surfing capital of the world
Today, Hawaii is the surfing capital of the world and this is largely due to its history, intrinsically linked to the sea and fishing, and to the fact that these were the true pioneers of the art, as was famously documented, in part, in “ Captain Cook’s Journal ”.
In 1778, English explorer and captain James Cook embarked on his third voyage of discovery in the South Pacific aboard the British Navy's HMS Endeavour. Killed by the Hawaiians, it was up to Lieutenant James King to publish his diary, which helped to publicize the discovery that Cook had seen the Hawaiians surfing on wooden boards slightly larger than themselves, in what Lieutenant King would later describe as an "exotic pastime."
The figures that remained in history
At the beginning of the 20th century, surfing expanded on a worldwide scale, largely due to two people: George Freeth and Duke Kahanamoku .
Freeth was a member of the Beach Boys , a group of surfers from Waikiki, a neighborhood in Honolulu located on the south coast of the island of O'ahu, in the American state of Hawaii. During a meeting with the famous writer Jack London in 1907, he aroused the writer's curiosity and thus gave rise to an article that at the time gained considerable notoriety, helping to popularize surfing in the United States.
Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian and excellent nautical athlete, was a true pioneer in the sport, making world tours to bring surfing to various parts of the world, namely Australia and New Zealand.
Surfing in Portugal - a pioneer stands out
It was only in the 1960s, thanks to films such as “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” and “Beach Party”, that the popularity of the sport skyrocketed, transforming surfing from a relatively small and marginal culture into a worldwide trend. It was at this time that Portugal also caught on to this “fever” .
There have been reports of surfing in the country since the 1920s, especially on the beaches of Leça da Palmeira and Carcavelos, but it was only later that the true effects of the globalization of surfing were felt. “In the 1960s, with the boom in surfing on the California coast, the first Portuguese name became known, Pedro Lima. Many still consider him the father of surfing in Portugal. As there was a shortage of surfing equipment at the time, and as surfboards were not very popular, Pedro Lima is considered to have taught the sport to himself,” he says on superprof.pt .
Nazaré as the capital of records
It was in the 1980s that Portugal definitively embraced surfing, with competitions and surfers' names increasingly appearing in the media. Shortly after, and thanks to its location and history of connection with the sea, our country became a stage of the World Surfing Championship, the premier competition, more specifically on Peniche beach. However, there is another beach that today stands out for the worldwide fame it has achieved, with its giant waves, so appreciated by surfers looking for adrenaline and record-breaking surfing: Nazaré beach.
In what is considered to be “the biggest wave in the world”, the Nazaré Wave is generated by the gigantic swells generated by storms in the Atlantic Ocean, hundreds of kilometres away, which, together with a submerged canyon, also called a canyon – the famous Nazaré Canyon –, form the massive waves that “invite” the most daring surfers every year.
The benefits of water sports
Surfing, like many other water sports, is one of the healthiest ways to practice sports in communion with nature. Prized for its health benefits, here are some of its benefits so that you might give in and try surfing (or any other water sports activity):
- Helps with physical and mental relaxation , with the body's contact with water, which relaxes the muscles;
- Tones the body , as the density of water is 800 times greater than that of air, which forces the body to perform at a much higher level;
- Increases quality of life , with the production of endorphins, the hormone responsible for happiness and rest;
- They improve metabolism, because, due to the greater physical performance mentioned above, metabolism naturally accelerates and, therefore, you can lose weight even when out of water.
The artist and the collection
As you may have guessed, surfing is the theme behind Letheshome’s new collections: Summer Days and Jumping Into The Sea . Behind these collections is the artist Sickfaces , Luís da Silva’s artistic name, who discovered painting as his greatest passion and greatest form of expression. Sickfaces , whose name was inspired by his initial content, which was largely based on horror films (which has since, in his words, “changed radically”), draws inspiration from the sun and the sea, with surfing, music and tattoos as his greatest influences and the fuel for his art.
On his website we can learn more about him: “Portuguese artist Luís da Silva’s inspiration lies in the natural environment that surrounds him, in the cultural elements of the 60s and in the surf culture of his home country. Always with the sun and the ocean in mind, he fuses meticulous and introspective work delivered through psychedelic motifs and geometric shapes. Taking the viewer to another world, close to his own: full of melancholy, nostalgia and happiness; he delivers a classic Portuguese vision to his audience”.
A little chat about inspirations
In a brief conversation, we were able to get to know the artist behind the man better. We tried to understand his motivations, his inspirations and everything that contributed to this partnership. Here is the short interview:
What does this partnership with Letheshome mean to you?
It is always a pleasure to know that more and more people and brands believe in my work. This collaboration with Letheshome has a special flavor because it is a brand that is very present in my home and above all because it is a brand from my hometown.
A little chat about inspirations pt.2
What message did you have in mind when painting these specific designs?
The idea for this project was to create graphics that would appeal to a younger age group. The theme of nature, and above all the sea, was also essential (considering that Viana do Castelo is a coastal city). From there, everything became easy, since the sea, the sun, and vibrant colors combined with geometric patterns are elements that are always present in my illustrations. I think the end result is fantastic and I have no doubt that it will make many homes more colorful!
What do you want to convey to your audience with your creations?
In most cases, my paintings do not have a message behind them. However, through them I try my best to convey my personal tastes, my experiences and my influences. Music, above all else, is something that is always present in my graphics in some way. From these pleasures in my life, I feel that my perspective of seeing the world is reflected in the illustrations.
