Ephemerism is the gothic universe of Benoit Barnay, a Parisian-born artist and skater. His twisted paintings are symbolic autobiographical stories; illustrating a wild journey of trauma and the beauty that comes from it. Barnay’s career in the art/fashion world began when his life was saved by Michele Lamy. Following a long period of personal darkness and near-death, he was welcomed into Lamy’s world, where she nurtured his talent for fine art. Soon his illustrations were featured in the Rick Owens SS15 show ‘Faun’, which gathered a cult following.

Of his relationship with the skate community, Barnay says “skating both saved and destroyed my life because of my demon for drugs”. But this tortured duality of life, which is prevalent in his work, is what makes his storytelling so honest. Barnay’s artwork for THE SKATEROOM collaboration is a dedication to Lamy, for everything she has been in his life. He is a member of LAMYLAND.

The infamous LAMYLAND collective was formed by the legendary Michèle LAMY, internationally renowned creative hyphenate, and co-founding Partner & Executive Manager of Art/Furniture Owenscorp. The collective comprises the creative genius of Giovanni Leonardo BASSAN, EPHEMERISM, Marc LESCHELIER, Scarlett ROUGE, Connor TINGLEY and Brandon WEN. LAMYLAND were a key part of the creative engine behind THE SKATEROOM’s first collective show, WHAT ARE WE SKATING FOR?, which was inspired by Michèle LAMY’s model of mixing street culture with the codes of fashion and art, becoming a manifesto to celebrate the world of skateboarding and its universal facets.

20% of the revenue facilitated the construction of a skatepark for at-risk youth in Tameslouht, Morocco, in partnership with Concrete Jungle Foundation and Centre Fiers et Forts.