Lexi Pendzich

SKATE WORLD

February 2023 - May 2023

Location

Edmonton, AB

Lexi Pendzich is a photographer, living and working in Edmonton. Her lens-based work focuses on documentary photography, daily life and portraiture. She’s inspired by the power of images that tell stories, personal narratives and capture moments that wouldn’t otherwise be documented. Her photographic works explore the lightness of adventure - scenes she's stepped into and placed in a creative capsule.

Skate world

I discovered a way to delightfully unburden, and it’s through community connection through the world of skateboarding. For this residency, I designed and built a skatepark and skate obstacles that reflect upon skateboarders and explore how skate parks can keep transforming to become welcoming spaces for all identities, levels and abilities.

I explored the question of how inclusive spaces can be built and bring communities together. There are design elements that are fun, playful, reflective and artful, and ultimately allow the viewer to look in and imagine themselves unburdening with community.

More on the artist

Lexi received her BA in Art History and Anthropology from the University of Alberta in 2008. She has shown work at The Gallery at CASA (Lethbridge, Alberta), 519 Gallery (Lethbridge, Alberta) and Publication Studio (Edmonton, Alberta).

She produced a DIY publication My Dog in My Place, a book of photographs and poetry, and published AGENDA 2036, a publication that's an ode to planning for the future, with Publication Studio Edmonton. Lexi has donated work to art auctions including Schmoozy (Latitude 53) and Art Frenzy (Southern Alberta Art Gallery). Her most recent photography work is a visual narrative of women and LGBTQ+ skateboarders in the community.

Portrait of 2023 Edmonton Artist in Residence, Lexi Pendzich.

Lexi Pendzich's miniature graphic printed half-pipe.

Lexi Pendzich's miniature graphic print halfpipe and skateboard.

"This artist residency involves exploring new territories with hcma through this year’s theme Delightful Unburdening."

For this residency, I worked with the hcma Edmonton team to make their own custom graphic for their mini skateboards. For the skateboard community, the skateboards’ design and style are a key part of their core identity.

Collaboratively with the hcma team in residency workshops, we used film cameras to make images that incorporated into the visual identity of the skate park and created handmade skate obstacles reflective on the design theme.

My artistic practice is in film photography and when I reflected on the idea of Delightful Unburdening, it’s the moments that I’m photographing flowers and greenery that I do this the most. As part of SKATE WORLD, photographs of flowers informed the park’s visual design.