Kaos Temple @ La Iglesia Skate
A unique skate park in the world: the skate church is the place where passion for skateboarding and DIY have reached the sky. Domes, stained glass windows and ramps coexist in an amazing spot to practice what for many is more than a religion, skateboarding.
A temple of urban art: the most important artwork in Okuda San Miguel’s career, and the conquest of a classic scenario by contemporary urban art. Known as Kaos Temple, this project represents a transformation and a turning point in art history. It pretends to open new horizons when it comes to re-think the use of architectural spaces adapted to the culture of our time.
An scenario of cultural transformation: the skate church will hold cultural activities with the aim to become a reference place to visit. A place open to receive proposals for events and projects that share this vision of our culture and want to take place in an scenario that represents the power of art and sport to change things.
HISTORY
The so called Iglesia Skate is an ancient temple located in Llanera (Asturias) acquired in 2007 by the company Iniciativas Habitat, donors and precursors of the restoration initiative, and later converted by the collective Church Brigade in place of pilgrimage for skate culture lovers.
Built as part of the complex that once housed and gave services to workers in the explosives factory Santa Barbara, it was after the end of the Spanish Civil War when the company closed down and its facilities were abandoned. A few years ago, Casimiro Fernández and his sons acquired the church as an investment after a lifetime devoted to the international distribution of contemporary furniture (Iniciativas Habitat). Precursors that alongside a group of friends decided to build a skateboard ramp within the church and to host art and cultural exhibitions, reconverting space and function of the building, always in a popular fashion.
Without institutional support of any kind, in the purest DIY tradition, Iniciativas Habitat and the Church Brigade crew slowly shaped their own dream: from concerts to skate championships through barbecues and, of course, plenty of worn soles. They gave identity to this place and turned it into a temple to house his passion for skateboarding and to encourage youth culture in an unbelievable location: a church.
It is not until late 2014 when the artist Okuda San Miguel, international reference of Spanish young emerging artist, visit the church. Admired by the new interpretation of the uses for such a space and the concept of meetings and activities taking place there. Some how he visualizes the perfect complement to the spirit of the new Skate Church, and proposes to express that concept painting on its walls and vaults ... as it has always been done in churches.
In Okuda's imagery there is a recurring figure, his iconic Kaos Star, depicting a colourful and asymmetric compass that come to say that it doesn’t matter where you are or what you're doing, the only important direction is to have your own references to achieve your goals, something that was clearly perceived there… this led to think of such an amazing project as KAOS TEMPLE.
Together with Ink and Movement, his management and communication team, they published the project in a crowdfunding platform (Verkami) and reached the amount needed to make it possible. All the participants, art patrons of the XXI century, could choose their rewards between different types of artistic products produced by Okuda.
The artist began painting the church on November 23 and spent 7 days to complete the artwork. The Skate Church was reopened to the public on December 10 and enjoyed the presence of professional skateboarder Danny Leon, who had the mission to be the first one to ride the renewed temple.
There is no doubt that this is the most important work in Okuda’s career to date, painting on one of the most characteristic media in art history; a creative expression that has quickly become a landmark of cultural convulsion promoting new spaces for contemporary art expression.
PRESENT
From now on the church is open for visits of skaters who want to practice in a unique skate park, and also for contemporary art enthusiasts to witness an unprecedented conquest of urban art. All of it in an amazing location in the north of Spain (Asturias), just minutes away from some of the best beaches in Spain for surfing, and from awesome mountains to practice sky. Not to mention the famous Asturian food ... All this makes the Skate Church into a great tourist destination.
The Church plans to start hosting cultural and sport activities of all kinds and skateboarding gatherings they are open to proposals of projects that share the philosophy of cultural transformation that has led the project. Soon to begin operating with a skate school and art workshops.
Kaos Temple in La Iglesia Skate is an artistic project of Okuda San Miguel (okudart.es) produced by Ink and Movement (http://inkandmovement.com) in collaboration with Iniciativas Habitat (http://iniciativashabitat.com) and Church Brigade (http://churchbrigade.wix.com/churchbrigade). The project is sponsored by Red Bull and have collaborated: Miller Division (www.millerdivision.com), Montana Colors (www.montanacolors.com) and Socketines (www.socketines.com).