Teahupo’o (surf spots series)
Description
Teahupo’o is one of the most beloved and feared waves in the world. The name means 'crushed skulls' in Tahitian and you are just going to know why.
In this paradise of crystal clear waters located in French Polynesia, the coral ocean floor depth changes abruptly, creating a sudden and giant wave, with strong and dangerous tubes.
Four surfers already lost their lives there, and many were seriously injured.
Besides being an iconic wave, I always wanted to portray a Teahupo’o’s wave because I find its shape very unusual and beautiful. It has a vertical wall in its face, a sort of water plateau at the back, and a very thick tube front wall.
So I wanted to represent a Teahupo’o wave as an energetic and continuous vortex.
I made several sketches until I found fitting symmetric shapes. In this final artwork, the sky was designed by duplicating the sea and rotating it like a 'hinge', creating then a perception of circular and powerful movement, like a whirlpool or a jet engine.Try it!