Ari Marcopoulos is a self-taught photographer who was born in Amsterdam in 1957. In 1980 when he was 23, he moved to New York City and became a prominent photographer for hip-hop culture, skater culture, snowboard culture, and fashion. His recently released book, Polaroids 92-95 (CA) is one part of a two-part series documenting the skating scene during the early 1990s. One book takes place in New York and one in California, and while the New York book’s photographs were taken from a single skate park, the Brooklyn Banks, the CA version takes place in a multiple across the Californian coast. The collections are made to be open ended and Marcopoulos was motivated by his fond memory of the time and of his relationships from the time. Taken on polaroid, the book lacks color outside of the yellow staining which come about from Macropoulos’s process; he’s made the 90s vintage.

Marcopoulos didn’t create these books with any specific motivations, he only states that “these images are a result of a collaboration and understanding between the subjects and the observer.” Marcopoulos explored the relationships he developed during that time, some which he says have faded, and we as an audience should understand that we’ll travel through life building and maintaining relationships, and even though we, or the world, will change, the memories we take with us are the priceless gems that deserve to be cherished. The yellow coloring overlaying some of the photos of the book occur naturally with Polaroids. They are due to developing issues, and make them look vintage, like they were instantly stained by time.

The original photographs were found in a stored box, and when Marcopoulos found them over 20 years later, he decided it was a good time to broadcast his representation of the world he used to know. People of diverse races and ages all share the same intentions. The awe-inspiring nature of the risks they’re taking is inspirational. The emotions are human, and the moments feel real. Polaroids 92-95 is a time capsule from the 90s that hasn’t aged. The culture of skating in the 90s doesn’t look too dissimilar to something we could see today; the indomitable camaraderie, the shared passion, and the world of skating hasn’t changed that much, and even the fashion is pretty much the same, and although this book is a reflection on Marcopoulos’ past, that world still exists today.

The world has changed, and technology has grown exponentially, but as more and more of us delve deeper into the internet and live a life platformed digitally, some experiences, and specifically skating, is and will always be uniquely experienced in person. Putting your life and body at risk will never be something that can be accomplished online, and skaters, even if they don’t know it consciously, embody it. Candid moments immortalize riders and the obvious connection between them looks genuine and organic. It’s close to a synthesis of stoicism and romanticism. The motion blur shows that Marcopoulos’ friends were always moving, always doing something with their days, and experiencing life as enjoyable as it can be. These moments feel precious, even, and especially during the goofy and comedic moments. Marcopoulos encapsulates a wide array of emotions, and the nostalgia is heartwarming and heartbreaking, because even though these aren’t any of our memories, vicariously we experience these moments; moments of connection, of shared passions, of companionship, it’s a memory of being young. Smoking weed with friends, relaxing without responsibilities, glory first and safety second, we get a second chance to experience a life we once knew.

The only instance of a possible edit in the CA book, one photo of a kid presumably watching the skate park, is overlaid with another photo of him smiling and laughing with a friend next to him. Although this development is more than likely an accident, it’s coincidental nature of joy and dedication parallel those of Marcopoulos’ in the creation of this book; they’re both coincidences producing something meaningful. Most of the book is like this; the moments are organic, like our memories, uninterrupted by the camera but acted the same as we act with our friends.

Polaroids 92-95 (NY) and (CA) were released in 2020 and are available for purchase from Dashwood Books at dashwoodbooks.com. You can find Ari Marcopoulos on Instagram @ari_marcopoulos_official or you can visit his site arimarcopoulos.net to see more of his work.

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