The stone skatepark is the creation of our great friend Adrián Otero, a native of Pontevedra with more than 25 years on a board. Years ago he started as a student at the Poio stonemason school, ending up as a teacher there, and now carrying out a personal project associated with that school: stone skateparks.
Here we leave you a brief but substantial interview with this master of stone and wood;
Hello Adrián, can you tell us when you started combining leisure and work?
The truth is that from a stonemason or sculptor skater, call it X, only a project like this could emerge.
How did I combine it? Well, in Pontevedra, the provincial capital, we always died of boredom in the realm of skateboarding, so I had the idea of making a course project for my students at the Escola de Canteiros with the idea of modernizing the trade and setting up something different near the island of sculptures in Pontevedra, which in the end didn't pan out, but it did come true in O Grove, losing a bit of the main focus for external reasons.
Is there something or someone that inspires you to create the parks?
I don't get inspired by anyone, the truth is that it arose very naturally with the idea of doing something different and innovative.
What module would you add to Stonehenge?
Regarding Stonehenge, it's clear!! A stonepool... in the middle.
This is your second stone skatepark, the first is in O Grove, the second is this one in Ponteareas. Do you have any more projects in mind?
I have a couple of little projects in mind, one of them is to go with my friend Olaf to the Philippines to make a "socio-artistic-sustainable skatepark," to call it something, the idea is to go there for a month and soak up the country and its culture and make a skateable sculpture in their first skatepark. It's almost certain that project will go ahead, the other is in the gestation process.
Apart from the aesthetic difference compared to a conventional skatepark, does a stone skatepark have any advantages or disadvantages compared to those that are not?
From my point of view, it's all advantages. Aesthetic; since using stone gives it a sculptural touch and the visual impact is more pleasant. Technical; it has a very powerful pop, grinds a lot, and lasts longer.
Thank you very much Adrián for your contribution to skateboarding and thanks for giving us your time!!!
