Berkeley-based photographer and San Francisco native Jenny Sampson has dedicated the last two decades to documenting West Coast skateboarding culture through a unique lens. While skaters have traditionally been viewed through the prism of counterculture—defined by their distinctive style, the sound of wheels on pavement, and their creative reimagining of urban spaces—Sampson's work reveals a deeper, more nuanced narrative.

This exhibition builds on the momentum of Sampson's 2024 show at the Bolinas Museum, which marked the first time over 250 of these portraits were exhibited collectively as a group. The presentation at Art Works Downtown (AWD) goes further still. It is the first opportunity to display Sampson's complete collection to date, approx. 400 portraits, offering an unprecedented window into the depth and intimacy of skate culture.

Sampson employs the historic wet collodion tintype process, a 175-year-old photographic technique that strips away artifice to reveal raw authenticity. The resulting images are both striking and vulnerable, echoing the ethos of skate culture itself—unfiltered, bold, and pushing beyond conventional boundaries. Sampson's methodical approach involves a portable darkroom and exposure times of up to 30 seconds, creating a collaborative experience where subjects witness their portraits materializing in real time. This process demands mutual trust and cooperation and results in remarkably intimate portrayals.

Sampson's work is published in two books, Skaters (Daylight, 2017) and Skater Girls (Daylight, 2020). She recognizes the underrepresentation of women, LGBTQ+, and other diverse voices in skating culture. Alongside organizations like Women’s Skateboard Alliance (The Alliance), HAGS, All Girl Skate Jam, Withitgirl, Villa Villa Cola Collective, Mahfia TV, Skate Like A Girl, Exposure, Girl is NOT a Four Letter Word, Skateistan, Meow Skateboards, Gnarhunters, OHSO, FroSkate, Rogue, Hoopla, WomenSK8 History, Unity, and Welcome Skateboards, her portraits contribute to a movement of inclusion and the reshaping of skateboarding's cultural landscape. This evolution is particularly evident in the 2024 SFMOMA exhibition Unity Through Skateboarding (August 17, 2024 - May 4, 2025). Portraits of Jeff Cheung and Gabriel Ramirez, who curated the SFMOMA exhibition, as well as those of other pioneering figures in the queer, trans, BIPOC, and women's skating communities, are included in this exhibit along with Unity and There skateboards displayed in the gallery windows.

Sampson's work transcends traditional skateboarding photography through its patient, deliberate process. Her portraits offer a counter-narrative to conventional stereotypes, revealing skate’s democratic spirit and its participants' humanity. Like skateboarding, which requires only a board with four wheels and a surface, these images provide accessible entry points to understanding the emotional landscape of their subjects. Each portrait captures not just individual skaters but moments of vulnerability, courage, and connection—universal experiences that resonate far beyond the skateboarding community.

Special gratitude goes to the Bolinas Museum, Jessica Shaefer, Executive Director and Louisa Gloger, former Executive Director Bolinas Museum, current Executive Director Headlands Center for the Arts.