In yet another puzzling curveball of an artist collab, elite skate brand SUPREME has just announced a new series of boards featuring details of large-scale paintings by one of our favorite photorealistic painters, artist MARILYN MINTER. Releasing in NY & LA Supreme shops on April 10th, on April 12th in Japan, and online on April 17th, the decks represent a new head-scratching alliance for the company because it just makes us wonder, do skaters really want these? Skating’s increasing move towards the highbrow world of couture fashion, bling, and fine art seems in stark contrast to the outlaw sport’s roots and Supreme’s admittedly envelope-pushing collaborations seem to be leading the charge. Don’t get us wrong, Minter is one of the most phenomenal painters of her generation, but does this really make sense to skateboarding culture? For those unfamiliar with Minter, the 60-year-0ld Louisiana born New York artist excels at intensely lifelike photorealistic painting and the former wild girl (minter lost herself in Manhattan’s club scene through the ’70s & ’80s) was the star of 2006’s coveted Whitney Biennial—the New York art world’s most formal stamp of approval—and at the time, some of the artwork from the show appeared on billboards around the city simultaneously. It was a long ways from her days as an artist in the late ’80s when a series of wok based on hardcore porn drew the scorn of art critics and feminists. Now, enjoying the ultimate last laugh, Minter’s art star glows bright in the stratosphere, and apparently, in the skate world’s nite sky too. HAVE A LOOK:

Marilyn Minter: Sublime painter & secret skater…

Minter on display at the 2006 Whitney Biennial…

A massive Minter original…

Photorealism at its best…

Minter in the sky, Manhattan, 2006…