Mark Gonzales | High Tech Poetry

Mark Gonzales

High Tech Poetry

Columbus, USA: Contingency Publishing, 2002

100 pp., 5 x 6”, softcover

Edition size unknown

High Tech Poetry brings together the artist and skateboarder's art and poetry, with black-and-white drawings covering pages that open along perforations to reveal poetry and sketches. Irreverent poems address everything from capitalism to the plight of man, while cartoonish sketches set the visual tone for the volume. The 2002 book accompanies Gonzales's first public reading of his work at the Wexner Center for the Arts.

"1968 was a turbulent year in America - assassinations, race riots, Vietnam - it seemed as if the world was on the edge of extinction. Amid all the chaos, somewhere in the vast concrete wonderland of Los Angeles, a child was born. The middle child between an older Michael and younger Angie, Mark Andrew Gonzales was here.

Driven by his brother, Mark's neighbourhood reputation quickly grew. Tackle football on concrete, bikes, whatever —little Mark was crazy enough to do just about anything. Somewhere amongst all this, skateboarding popped up. He quickly consumed everything he could have this new "hobby." Unable to afford skate magazines, he studied the images in the ones at the local library. The photos in Skateboarder at the time showed pools and parks. Being that he lacked funds for skateparks, he passed the time mimicking the vert skating he saw in the magazines out on the streets by his house. Thus, Mark's brand of "street" skating was born. Strictly out of necessity and curiosity, a new way of looking at skateboarding's urban playground had arrived.

Mark was never much for school. He quickly made his focus skateboarding and the streets, envisioning, finding, and eventually making up the things that are now standard procedure. Somewhere along the line Mark became a legend. At 17 "The Gonz" was rolling. When the limelight got too much for him, he split to NYC to become a poet, artist, writer, and actor. All of the shit Mark attempted he did just like he skated —his way. He got back into skateboarding in 1992 after realizing that although the other shit was great, only skating could make him complete.

Functionally retarded is how I describe him. He can't order a pizza, but he'll tell you all about Napoleon or some other freak. Funny guy, he once tipped his tax auditor. And he's the biggest spender I've ever met. Money means nothing to him (especially mine). Where is he going with all of this? Who knows. But guaranteed we will all try to bite it when he gets there.” 

- Jake Phelps