Surfers, Oahu, Hawaii 2010

David Burdeny’s photograph, "Surfers, Oahu, Hawaii", captures a scene of surfers suspended between sea and sky. The image uses minimal color, to evoke a sense of dreamy suspension. Hawaii's transformation from an independent kingdom to a U.S. territory and then a state involved complex cultural exchanges and power dynamics. The rise of surfing as a global sport is linked to these processes. Originally a sacred practice in Hawaiian culture, surfing became a symbol of leisure and tourism as Hawaii was promoted as a tropical paradise. Images like this are a key part of this ongoing narrative. To truly understand this image, we need to look into the history of surfing in Hawaii. This involves considering the economics of tourism, and reflecting on the complex relationship between cultural authenticity and commercial representation.