A skate park conjures up images of high-speed action and the sounds of boards clacking against metal rails. But in “Marine Park,” a solo exhibition from Fort Worth photographer Raul Rodriguez, the artist zeros in, instead, on the tranquil side of the sport.
His collection of 20 photographs made over two years at a skate park in Fort Worth offers a portrait of a community. Young men stand unguarded as Rodriguez’s lens captures them with a gentleness that is refreshing. A story is told through their faces, an assortment of half smirks and quiet stares, and through the material details of the park. “I like to capture the silence, the restful and peaceful moments,” Rodriguez says. “It feels like time stands still when I step into that skate park.”
The images in “Marine Park” stand in defiance of skateboarder stereotypes — the troublemaker, the neighborhood nuisance — and broaden the mainstream conception of who skateboarders are by focusing on Latino men. Rodriguez, through his focused study of the park, transports us to a place where people find community.
Details
Through July 24 (may be extended through Aug., check the website before you go), at the Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St, Dallas. lcc.dallasculture.org
