Reading Time: 3 minutes
The surfing community is mourning the death of Arthur ‘Art’ Brewer (71) who was behind many of the sport’s most iconic photos. From Bertlemann to Bunker Spreckels ( to whom he was personally assigned for a time) to Rasta, Slater, Lopez, Peter McAbe, Rob Machado and many more, Brewer gave a rich sense of colour, life and character to surf culture for more than five decades.
The Tracks archive is home to a plethora of photographic treasures, but anything marked ‘Art Brewer’ is highly prized. As his truncated name so neatly implies, Art had a knack for presenting surfing in a way that revealed new truths and meanings.
This classic pic taken by Brewer is of Hawaiian surf legend Larry Bertlemann visiting Australia in the most stylish way possible . Featured in a 70s Tracks issue.
In an Insta post, close friend and fellow surf photographer Sean Davey spoke on Art’s legacy.
“I just got word that we lost one of the best surf photographers ever yesterday. Art Brewer was such an influential photographer when I was coming up through the ranks. He created such interesting photographs but what I loved more than anything were his superb portraits. You could tell that he loved photography in the way that he was so creative. He definitely left a big impression on me.”
Brewer’s work invited us to feel subtleties of emotion we might not have known were there before we stared rapturously at one of his images. Through his lens surfers became god-like and riding waves seemed like the noblest, most pleasure-saturated pursuit on earth. Most importantly he was instrumental in making surfing a culture we wanted to belong to, but not because it was safe and homogenous. Brewer’s lens liked attitude, individualism and self expression. He created an avenue for surfers to define their own take on the ride, in and out of the water.
Art, who grew up surfing at Laguna Beach in California, was also a revered lensman beyond the salt-crusted surf scene. His work featured in a suite of celebrated mags when print media was in its prime – Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, Playboy and Esquire (he shot a cover in 1992.)
Another one of Brewer’s protégées Brian Bielmann shared this tribute.
“Art was the best of the best. Art taught me what it was to see the beauty God created and then give it back to everyone through my camera lens. I’m saying a prayer for his family and the next time I go to snap a picture of the waves. I’m gonna look up and say Artie, this shots for you . Goodbye to a beautiful soul , an artist and friend.”
Even though Brewer was completely insured, he was handed a heavy medical bill for a liver transplant while he was in intensive care at UCLA. If you would like to help with the medical fees that we assume his family now have to deal with click here.
