Shaping Surf History: Tom Curren and Al Merrick, California 1980-1983

Metyko captures an era-defining snapshot of one of the most fertile and influential moments in California's surf history. The dramatic action shots and intimate moments follow the rise of young legend-to-be and future world champion Tom Curren and the surfboard shaper Al Merrick.

During the early 1980’s, Santa Barbara, California, saw an extraordinary mix of innovation, individuals and imagery, combined with a relatively rare meteorological phenomena, that led to one of the most influential periods in modern surf history.

The rise of young legend-to-be and future three-time world champion Tom Curren, whose preternatural wave-riding abilities would help establish California at the forefront of contemporary surfing; the emergence of then-unknown board builder Al Merrick of Channel Island Surfboards, who would go on to becoming the sport’s premier board-builder; a once-in-a-generation run of exceptional surf conditions - photographer Jimmy Metyko was there to capture it all. With a compelling blend of dramatic action, intimate moments and epic waves, Metyko’s imagery and personal perspectives articulate a remarkable waypoint on the sport’s cultural timeline, as well as a better understanding, and appreciation, of where surfing is today.