Masters Of Surf Exhibition

Step into the pantheon of surf photography. Curated by legendary lensman Ted Grambeau, International Masters of Surf is a rare collection of imagery by the artists who shaped how we see the sport.This archival exhibition of surf culture is told through a single, defining image from each master.

From icons like Art Brewer, Jeff Divine and Chris Burkard to a global lineup of visionaries spanning decades, every frame in the exhibition carries history and innovation. And this year, five new photographers will be inducted into the roll call.

International Masters of Surf featured photographers include:

Art Brewer, Andrew Sheild, Bill Morris, Brent Bielmann, Brown Cannon, Cait Myers, Chris Burkard, Christa Funk, Chris Van Lennep, Corey Wilson, Dave Sparkes, Damea Dorsey, Dean Wilmot, Erik Aeder, Helio Antonio, Jamie Scott, Jeff Divine, Jeff Flindt, John Ogden, John Witzig, Mike Coots, Nathan Smith, Rammohan Paranjape, Rambo Estrada, Robert Brown, Russell Ord, Sean Davey, Simon Chipper, Simon Williams, Steve Sherman, Ted Grambeau, Todd Glaser, Tom Servais, Tony Harrington, and more.

This year, an additional five photographers will be inducted into the roll call.

By no means exhaustive, this growing list of photographers handpicked by Ted Grambeau represents the foundations of a canon of leaders in the field. Ted’s impetus in developing Flotsam’s International Masters Of Surf was primarily as a source of inspiration and to create respect and understanding for those who have contributed so much to the evolution of surf culture through photography.

“Like any subject, to have a complete understanding one must first study the history of the subject. If you study art, the first thing you would do would be to study the great Masters.
Contemporary and aspiring photography enthusiasts know very little of the great talents that preceded them in the realm of surf photography. This is a small step in redressing that situation,” said Ted.

“I have no set formula as to who qualifies, but basically professional photographers with at least two decades in the industry. Or alternatively they are so talented that they are recognised by their peers that they provide an inspiration for younger emerging photographers. Those eligible are a list too large for me to cover in one exhibition, but the aim is for Masters to become an annual event that will expand each time and serve to create a global record of the industry’s greatest surf, lifestyle and ocean photographers.”

Each photographer was invited to submit one file of their choice that represented their contribution to their craft.

Russ Bierke by Ted Grambeau