There was some brouhaha about virtual reality skating on the Viet Nam Veteran’s memorial in Tony Hawks Project 8. I can’t be sure about reactions to skating on the monument to fallen defenders in what the locals call the Homeland War in Croatia. Of course, it’s a different kind of memorial. The Wall is more like a giant tombstone, while this one is more of an undefined usable public space. I mean, you wouldn’t get mad at that little kid for laying on it, so skating on it isn’t that far of a stretch. Reminds me of a monument to capitalism in Michigan. More pictures at Big Creative Industries. – Thanks to Urban for the tip.

Call me old fashioned, but friend requests on FaceBook still kind of freak me out when I don’t have any idea who the person is. I always end up scoping out the person to make sure it’s skateboard related. I checked out Michel Skart Poulin and found some really cool cabinets he made by applying fancy veneers to a garden variety skateboards. More pictures at No Damn Good Skate outta Montreal. Congratulations, by the way. You can see some in person at Monde Ruelle gallery in Montreal.

The Wall Street Journal Online has a story about skateboard art, or more aptly, art on skateboards. Gotta give them props for the title “Skateboards Now Hang in Galleries, But Are They Wheelie Art?” Are they wheelie art? Good one. Not so much on the subtitle: “Painters Give Old Toys New Tricks—Teen Angst, Nude Portraits, Broken Bones.” Check out the Wall Street Journal for the article and accompanying video. – Thanks to Brian Susk for the tip.

We’ve covered this before, but there are better pictures this time at ArchDaily. – Thanks to Boy at Skatemalaysia.com for the tip.

Yeah I know the A scale doesn’t really go up that high. Technically, it doesn’t even goo up to 101, but that never stopped wheel companies from marketing them as such. These old Kryptos are made out of cement, and so is the deck. It’s a piece called Irony that was in the PUSH benefit auction for the Division Street Skatepark Project in Bend, Oregon. At least I think it was, because it’s not in any of the photos of the work. It’s kind of hard to tell what’s going on with the project. There’s a blog that was last updated in 2008, and there are pictures of DIY concrete action happening somewhere, but key areas of the site have missing images, and it’s unclear whether or not construction has actually begun. And seriously, guys, I would have loved to promote this auction, give us a heads up next time. I’m getting off track here. Drew West of the talented Real Concrete Design, cast these. There are more pictures available are on Facebook. Those wheels fit bearings, don’t ya know? – Thanks to Kevin Porterfield for the tip.

There are art boards galore, but these hand carved whimsical creatures are meant to be ridden. Ridden carefully, of course, but ridden. Doug McKee AKA Naty Shred rides his, and repairs them too. They aren’t cheap, but they are one of a kind. The bird actually flaps it’s wings when it rolls. Impractical? Sure, but it takes a joyless soul not to smile at these. [Source: Make] – Thanks to Eric Cherry and Janis Salnajs for the tip.

Skateboarding is a big deal in Japan and like most skateboarders in the world, Japanese artist Haroshi had a pile of broken decks lying around. Too attached to the boards to toss them in the trash, he collected his boards and unless he breaks a few boards a week the ones of his community and turned them into sculptures and accessories such as necklaces and key chains.

Slovenian reader Urban Kravos sent in a link to his web site where among other things like stencil art, he’s got a gallery of his apartment that is a work in progress making sure his girlfriend never asks to move in with him. (Sorry, Urban, couldn’t resist!) Kravos is an architect by trade but has been skating since age 7, and decided to surround himself with what he loves. I’ve been also making skateboards for my hobby since 1999, first from birch plywood and about two years ago I started with vacuum technic. I’ve seen that you already found two of my friends from Slovenia, Ali Jusovic and Konan. The skateboard scene here is really small compared to the states, and everybody knows each other, and of course we all skate together when we find time…For us it is the best scene in the world, but I guess everybody thinks so about their skate surroundings. The best thing is, that we don’t actually have any good public skateparks, except that shity modular wood year 1995 type, but some riders are really good and creative, just look at Almir…And I actually don’t know anybody, that would like to be a professional…

When he’s not busy skating, Jason Greene makes things out of old skateboards. Yeah, so does your uncle, my neighbor, and my sister’s dog, but I’ve never seen a slingshot made from a skateboard. Tops, maybe, but not a slingshot. Chairs, yes, but made from several and not one small sized for a little future ripper. I wish I would have thought of that one for my kids. Actually, my two year old might still fit on that. Check it out on Etsy.

Just when you think you’ve seen every iteration of skate furniture, along comes something new. Gil Le Bon De Lapointe, the man behind the Skate Study House, produced this chair made from the scraps of the skateboard manufacturing process. It can be yours for $3500, according to the L.A. Times, but they don’t tell you where you can pick it up. [Source: Just Skate] – Thanks to Doug for the tip.