At a glance, Dick Skinners by Tadej Vaukman looks as though it would offer no more than an exhibitionistic representation of “fooling around” in the skateboard scene. Emphasizing his position as an insider, the artist documents the goings-on in his immediate surroundings, creating a visual diary made up of both black-and-white and colour snapshots of more or less explicit scenes in a seemingly endless series of wild live gigs, parties and skateboarding. Showing substance abuse, vomiting, changing clothes, injuries resulting from failed jumps, tattooing, and (male) full frontals.
This overflow of repetitive images, however, also shows a certain compulsion for repetition which is not only a consequence of a sense of apathy and existential boredom, but a reflection of powerlessness and inability to actually influence the current state of society, in which “future” is an uncertain and questionable notion for many. Behind Vaukman’s in your face approach, one can nevertheless catch a sense of his affection and loyalty to his friends, without whom this manner of rebellion against the deeply rooted social norms and rules would have no meaning at all.
