Poet, Prophet, Pioneer: Mark Gonzales’ History with Superstar
Mark Gonzales is the most influential skater of all time. His imprint on modern street skateboarding is celebrated by anyone in the know, but his unabashed demeanor and unique imagination has also infiltrated every aspect of street culture today. From music videos to some of the logos and artwork of today’s new wave of brands you know and love, Mark’s creative impact is intimately intertwined with shaping how our world looks today. But most importantly, he comes by it earnestly with a natural style rooted in spontaneity that continues to explore the rich dichotomy of high and low. No wonder he’s your favorite artist’s favorite skater!
Mark Gonzales, or The Gonz as he’s often referred, was born in South Gate, California. He found his place in skateboarding in the early 80s as a successor of the Dogtown and Z-boys era, and along with a crew in Santa Monica, skated the first handrails—changing how millions of skaters perceive and interact with their urban environment forever. In 1991 Gonz recruited a young photographer named Spike Jonze to shoot and co-direct Video Days, a promo for Mark’s brand at the time, Blind Skateboards. Thirty years later Video Days continues its influence as the formula for countless skateboard videos that have followed. With multiple books published of his poetry, artwork and correspondence with friends, and too many video parts to count (see adidas Skateboarding’s own Away Days, 2016), his signature Gonz kickflip on street or inverts in pools are still just as pronounced as his artwork or stream of consciousness prose. He’s collaborated with top fashion houses worldwide and gained a cult following as a general tastemaker and thinker, as much for his spontaneity and style on a skateboard. But how can such a person exist in the present day after decades of pounding the concrete, you might ask? With childlike wonder and uninhibited creativity.
In 2002 Gonz launched Krooked Skateboards—of which his illustrated eyes and unique “Shmoo” characters have become synonymous with the products. They pioneered the “guest board” signature model, invited outside artists to create board series and produced numerous video projects including the most recent, Magic Art Supplies. Gonz first put his mark on the classic adidas shoe, the Superstar back in ‘06 in the form of a Krooked collab, and the iconic silhouette originally designed for the basketball court immediately transformed into one from the streets with caution-tape yellow, and chain-link linework that somehow felt as wild and off-the-cuff as its mastermind. The following year The Gonz could be played in the EA’s Skate, and those skilled enough to earn access to the release could cop the “High Score” Superstar—complete with The Gonz character visible through the clear rubber sole. Arguably the first time a shoe was made exclusively available through a video game.
Sharpied on t-shirts, napkins and just about anything that his fans put in front of him, Gonz’s illustrations, paintings and sculptures have shown in galleries all over the world. In 2015 adidas Originals released the white Superstar 80s by Gonz. Complete with Adicolor markers in a custom art supply shoebox for the beholder to customize into their own, this collab set the stage for sleek and premium innovation.
For fans and collectors that craved a more pronounced Shmoo, 2020’s all-white Superstar ADV by Mark Gonzales introduced the Trefoil-inspired birds created especially for adidas Skateboarding. October 2021 marks the follow-up of the suede patchwork of Gonz’ signature Shmoo Birds—this time in beaming colors on smooth all-black nubuck, rubber sole and the iconic Superstar toe cap. A lustrous interpretation that celebrates the heritage of the brand, with the beautifully deviant expression of a true original.
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