Life is a complex dance of solitude and belonging. We follow the motions. The job, the spouse, the white picket fence. Yet we yearn to break free from the mold, to set fire to the well-trodden path. We aspire to be offbeat and unique, while at the same time we don’t want to be outcast by our peers because of it. The surfing world, as a microcosm for all of society, is no different.
Beautifully blending that real world conflict to a surf-centric mindset, our eternally creative friends over at Desillusion Magazine have released an arthouse clip of Chippa Wilson set to the societal-construct-damning poetry of Charles Bukowsi. And like eating aged Gruyère with a full-bodied Pinot, the pairing is splendid.
As a surfer Chippa is far removed from the jersey-donning, leaderboard-obsessed crop of the world’s best. And as a human he’s on a similar path of eccentric interests including art, photography, and Steve McQueen-esque motorcycles. The two and a half minute clip feels part Terrence Malick, part cinematic surf porn. One second Chippa’s tossing his tail into oblivion, the next a barren tree billows in the wind. It’s a bold and imaginative endeavor, no doubt.
But beneath the artsy-fartsy aesthetic, the project hints at a concrete ethos. A road less taken. A rambling road embraced by Chippa. The cinematic shots of solitude, Chippa’s punts into reckless abandon, the nonconformity by Bukowsi – it reflects Chippa’s anti-assimilation career path. Something that should be respected, revered. A beam of singular light amid the logo-clad cogs.
beware those quick to praise
for they need praise in return
beware those who are quick to censor
they are afraid of what they do not know
beware those who seek constant crowds for
they are nothing alone
