To the average person strolling these peculiar streets, it’s easy to think of Venice as some timeless, unchanged place replete with homelessness, vibrant art, and strange amusement. But if you look a bit deeper, one can easily recognize a radical transformation is afoot—Venice Beach is not at all what it once was.
Exacerbated by the booming tech industry, rents are rising and staple businesses are closing down to make room for ritzy restaurants, luxury apartments, and state-of-the-art office spaces. It’s the latest venue of gentrification, one might argue. But the truth is, Venice Beach has always undergone radical change. It’s undeniably different today, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Venice is losing its integrity.
“It’s never been the same,” explained Okazaki. “It wasn’t the same in the ’40s, the ’50s, the ’60s….. and it’s not going to be the same in the next decade.”
In a town that is argued to be losing its unique identity, you don’t have to look far to see that the Venice Beach soul is still alive and well. Among all the unprecedented change that has occurred over the past several decades, Guy Okazaki’s unyielding love for surfing and the art of shaping has remained constant. Here’s Guy talking about the past, present, and future of Venice Beach in General Admission‘s latest installment entitled Foam.
Foam x Guy Okazaki from General Admission on Vimeo.
