Art Exhibition World Tour Planned to Showcase Limited Edition Collaboration

New York, NY - Manik Skateboards, a premium Seattle based skateboarding company, has announced its collaboration with photographer Craig Wetherby, to produce limited edition skateboards, shirts and New Era fitted caps. The series will be released to select boutique shops worldwide in conjunction with a world gallery tour exhibiting Craig Wetherby’s photos and limited edition skate decks.

The Manik and Craig Wetherby collaboration features a selection of some of Wetherby’s most popular imagery. Wetherby has photographed just about every relevant hip-hop artist to date while also being highly respected and admired by the punk rock and rock n roll communities alike. A self-taught photographer, Wetherby has been taking pictures since 1992, and has had the opportunity to capture some of the world’s most famous athletes, entertainers and artists. With a massive and diverse portfolio, his work has been featured in dozens of publications including Complex, The New York Times, Spin, Rolling Stone, Snowboard Magazine and Vibe to name a few.

This exclusive series includes skateboard decks, crewneck sweatshirts and t-shirts, as well as New Era fitted caps that showcase various imagery shot by Wetherby. The eight showcased images throughout the collection include hip-hop artists such as Ghostface Killah, Slick Rick and Method Man, along with famous images of Gwar and Bad Brains at the world renowned CBGBs. In total, the eight limited edition decks range from 7.5 to 8.25 in length, costing $60.00 per deck. The t-shirts are available in black, white and heather grey with a Wetherby original silk screen on 100% cotton, retailing at $30.00. With fitted caps being such a staple, there is ”The Good Life” New Era hat that comes in black and olive canvas, with photos printed on white satin on the inside panels retailing for $50.00.

“We are really excited about this collaboration. It’s a privilege to work with such an amazing artist. The response to the series has been overwhelming and the upcoming Manik and Craig Wetherby exhibitions are going to take it to a whole new level!” Says Nin Truong, Manik Creative Director.

The traveling art exhibition will begin its tour in May 2008 starting in Seattle and will continue through December 2008 making stops in Tokyo, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. As a special treat, each stop on the tour will have unique limited edition color ways of the fitted hats available only for that particular city.

This collection is extremely limited and is selling out fast. To see availability and store locations or to find out more about the upcoming Craig Wetherby exhibition, please visit manikskateboards.com

About Manik:
Manik started in the spring of 2001 as a creative outlet. Manik was our way of combining photography, film, art, apparel and design into one project. Without a real agenda, our only intent was to have fun while pushing the progression of skateboarding through a variety of channels. While adhering to this simple idea we’ve continued to grow in a direction of our own. Our core goal was to use Manik as a creative outlet. In keeping with this tradition we’ve established the Artist in Residence program. It was an opportunity for us to collaborate with artists that we’ve admired and respected. The long list of artist has featured CR Stecyk, Shawn Wolfe, Charles Krafft, Andrew Pommier, Todd Lown, Maya Hayuk, Charles Peterson, Peter Bagge, Darvin Vida, Jeff Proctor and Craig Wetherby. Alongside our Artist in Residence Program we’ve continued to produce our classic Signature Art Department boards.

About Craig Wetherby:
Craig Wetherby was born, raised and currently resides in NYC. A completely self-taught photographer, he began taking pictures in 1992 with a creative technique and style all his own. With his unique outlook and deep network of personal and professional relationships, he has been able to capture some of the world’s most respected artists, athletes, entertainers and musicians. Traveling globally for his work, Wetherby has contributed to several notable publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Spin, Rolling Stone, XXL, Vibe, Frank151, Mass Appeal, Swindle, Zoo, Complex, The Fader, Snowboard Magazine, Snowboard Canada and Warp Japan, to name a few. Wetherby has accumulated an impressive client roster, Reebok, Toyota/Scion, Pepsi/Mountain Dew, Def Jam Records, New Line Cinema, High Times Records, Burton Snowboards, Gravis Footwear and Casio G-Shock. With a seemingly endless portfolio, Wetherby has sustained the same fresh and unspoiled vision that started his career in photography over a decade ago.