Sometimes Tampa's guerrilla street skateboarders have to deal with more than the fact that their favorite pastime is illegal. There's a certain favored, tricky spot at the Tampa Convention Center — a handrail, perfect for boardslides — where loss of balance or misjudgment of speed can easily result in an expensive setup getting sent to the bottom of the murky Hillsborough River. Veteran skate-culture photographer Michael Derewenko, whose work has appeared in Big Brother, Transworld Skateboarding, Thrasher and other mags, sent a diver into the river to see what could be recovered. The result is featured in Washed Up, an exhibit that includes not only these found items, but also Derewenko's photo essay on the recovery. This one-night only exhibit kicks off with an invitation-only reception/preview at 7 p.m. and opens to the public beginning at 9 p.m. Fri., Sept. 22. Transitions Art Gallery @ Skatepark of Tampa, 4215 E. Columbus Drive, Tampa, free admission, 813-621-6793, www.transitionsartgallery.com.
This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2006.