Anthony Pappalardo, better known as ‘Pops’, is a professional skateboarder, a dog lover, a son of a pizzeria owner, and an ambassador for Converse All Star Trainers – but there’s more…
Converse All Star Trainers Ambassador, ‘Pops’, is well known in skateboarding circles. His name is thrown around probably as much as Mike Carroll, Cairo Foster, Marc Johnson and Spike Jonze. If you’ve ever seen the skateboard video, Fully Flared, you’ll understand just what a big deal that is – not that he would ever brag. Of course, modesty and flair go hand in hand.
Like anyone with an extremely exciting hobby-turned-profession (a rare breed), he does (surprisingly to the rest of us) have other interests. He loves his dog, he loves his Dad’s pizza in Long Island, he loves Dunkin’ Donuts, and he loves his Converse All Star trainers. As an ambassador for the brand, he has to – but he actually does. So does he love them enough to be pictured with them during his furniture launch?
Oh yes, did I forget to mention – he makes furniture artwork look like a doddle? Can one man really be that multifaceted? I guess so. And the answer to the other question – yes, he loves his Converse All Star trainers that much.
Anthony Pappalardo Furniture and Art Show 2009
Pictured with his favourite and particularly well-worn (might I add) Converse All Star trainers, Anthony reveals his wooden creations in a series of quietly expressive images, in preparation for his debut show in Brooklyn. In the distant milieu of wooden sculptures carved in the comfort of Pappalardo’s New York wood shop, he makes an almost translucent appearance, wearing Converse.
All Star trainers have long succeeded through reputable ambassadors. Converse All Star trainers, also known as ‘Chucks’ or ‘Chuck Taylors’, became the most successful selling basketball trainers during the early years. Today, it’s the turn of the skate-star-turn-furniture-artist to mingle the world of modern sculpture with the famous Converse All Star. Trainers have never been so versatile.
