Delmarva’s own Matt Dove, a skateboarder and local artist out of Berlin, MD, received worldwide attention this weekend thanks to a shout out on Instagram from Tony Hawk during Vert Attack 9 at Bryggeriet Malmö Skatepark in Malmö, Sweden.
The above video was taken by Instagram user Mike Frazier @Mfrazier72 and posted by Tony Hawk on March 13 with the comment, “Matt Dove @punkrockfish is gnarly. This could be the ender to any #vertattack9 highlight reel… even though finals are tomorrow.”
Dove’s an accomplished skater, with traditional wins such as “Best Vert Trick” at the 2001 X Games, and industry credentials like “shredding the hardest” at Mike-A-Palooza, yet he is just as well known for his authenticity and artistic integrity.
Dove is a partner at Punk Rock Fish Studio where he showcases original art, furniture, prints, custom frames and more. In 2013, Dove’s artwork was featured in Berlin, MD as part of the Dew Tour’s “Recognize” series, sharing the stage with Steve Caballero, Neil Blender, and Christian Hosoi. Dove is committed to investing in Berlin’s local arts culture, and last summer he curated a secret alternative arts and music festival: “Arts attract artists, which, in turn attracts attention which, in the big picture for people that really care about it, attracts visitors and legitimate reasons for coming to Berlin besides the small-town quaintness.” (via OceanCity.com)
This weekend was not the first shout out Matt’s gotten from Tony Hawk. Hawk vocally supported Dove in 2001, after Dove wore a t-shirt critical of ESPN at the X-Games.
“Look at how big this event has become, in comparison to other sporting events,” said Tony Hawk, who is the sport’s biggest star and who also worked as a commentator for ESPN during the vert finals Saturday. “You’re looking at bowling and surfing – sports that don’t draw near the crowd or the interest – that have at least three times the prize money. He’s absolutely right.” (Philly.com)
Bonus – If you know the name of the trick Matt performs in the video, above… let us know in the comments.
Feature image via AlliSports.com
