The Travel Diary: Skating the streets of Panama City
- Text by Rafael Gonzalez
- Photography by Rafael Gonzalez
The skyscrapers that dominate the Panama City skyline make this capital city look like a sprawling metropolis to rival any other, although with a population of under 900,00 its looks can be deceiving.
A small and humid place, Panama City is the most modern place in Central America – the unofficial Dubai of Latin America some would go so far as to say. It has a new Metro with a second line already in the works; there are new sidewalks under construction in the city centre; its financial district and malls make it clear this is a city riding high.
In most cities growth and development sees skateboarders thrown aside, the urban wastelands used to ride consumed by rabid and rapid development. Here in Panama City though that’s just not the case; new places to skate are popping up inside and out of the centre, although some spots that have been central to the skate community for so long have disappeared without a trace. To an outsider it seems to have reached a calm equilibrium, a giving and taking from a place so clearly changing.
When I headed down into the city I wanted to capture the skate scene in all its glory; the backdrop of palm trees, the sparkling blue sea, the old cobbled side streets and the modern highways too. But despite the beauty to be found all around, I found few skaters out on the streets. Catching a colourful board swerving down the avenue just wasn’t happening.
It was in the skateparks that I found my subjects; it seemed that the majority of the community don’t like to complicate things here, and stick to the ramps and the rides that they know – mainly the local skatepark located at El Chorrillo built by the previous government administration to be accessible and open to all.
The following days were therefore a period of discovery for both me and the local skaters, as we explored the city together anew. Shooting only on analogue cameras and with black and white film, we rode the city together.
Follow Rafael on Instagram.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck
Ghais Guevara: “Rap is a pinnacle of our culture”
What Made Me — In our new series, we ask artists and rebels about the forces and experiences that have shaped who they are. First up, Philadelphian rap experimentalist Ghais Guevara.
Written by: Ghais Guevara
Gaza Biennale comes to London in ICA protest
Art and action — The global project, which presents the work of over 60 Palestinian artists, will be on view outside the art institution in protest of an exhibition funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Written by: Cyna Mirzai
Ragnar Axelsson’s thawing vision of Arctic life
At the Edge of the World — For over four decades, the Icelandic photographer has been journeying to the tip of the earth and documenting its communities. A new exhibition dives into his archive.
Written by: Cyna Mirzai
ATMs & lion dens: What happens to Christmas trees after the holiday season?
O Tannenbaum — Nikita Teryoshin’s new photobook explores the surreal places that the festive centrepieces find themselves in around Berlin, while winking to the absurdity of capitalism.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Resale tickets in UK to face price cap in touting crackdown
The move, announced today by the British government, will apply across sport, music and the wider live events industry.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Nearly a century ago, denim launched a US fashion revolution
The fabric that built America — From its roots as rugged workwear, the material became a society-wide phenomenon in the 20th century, even democratising womenswear. A new photobook revisits its impact.
Written by: Miss Rosen