Interview with Bizmut, a talented artist located in the South of France. Art and Ride!
When I was in France recently for my last art show, I met a cool and talented artist based in the city where my mother lives.
We met and had a couple of beers, while talking about our experiences in the art scene.
The illustrator and painter who worked for many brands of the board culture was also about to travel to Bali.
I gave him some advices about the life on the island of gods, and we drank more beers.
More about the French artist Christophe Cabannes aka Bizmut.
Time To Be Wild for the illustrator
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF
I’m Christophe Cabannes aka Bizmut, illustrator, artist and graphic designer in freelance, living in Biarritz (France).
I started skateboarding and snowboarding about 20 years ago, and i have now the privilege to mix my 2 passions: art and ride.
Totem for Poney Session with acrylic & poska on wood – 2m x 1,30m x 1m
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
My artwork fit between the movements of “New figuration” and “Lowbrow”.
I like representing figurative and surrealist things, with flashy colors and some messages: seeking madness, adrenalyne, truth, justice, faith…
My themes of reflexion are human condition, natural elements, earlier civilizations, esotericism, board-culture…
There is a small feature in my work, i often use forms of black lightning shearing the subject and giving to the work a sense of power.
Dark Angel is the name of a make up artwork painted by the artist
PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR WORKING PROCESS
I think that drawing take a major place in my work: this is the beginning, the based…come after colors, techniq, style…on paper, canvas or computer.
After having spend a lot of time to paint and organize exhibitions, i now devote much more collaborations with snowboarding brands like DC shoes, Billabong outerwear, Electric visual…
In these cases, the only constraints are to use the same colors of their next collections, and to comply with the chosen theme. After i have a total liberty to create illustrations and decos.
Skateboard customized with an hand made painting
HOW DOES YOUR ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE YOUR ART?
In my youth, I lived in the middle of the forest and wildlife, and summer and winter, I followed the seasons by going to the ocean or the mountains.
That’s why i love drawing natural elements like mountains, waves, wild animals, vegetation…
Wall painting
WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?
Ride, music, art, friends, actuality…all and nothing !
I really appreciate the work of:
- Craola
- Jeff Soto
- Jeremy Fish
- Skinner
- Broken Fingaz, etc…
Allover design for DC shoes by Bizmut
ANY LAST WORD?
I’m working on a new exhibition, something very wild which refers to our past civilizations…paintings and custom sculptures… well, stay tuned !
And big thanks for this interview ! I really like your recent work with all these characters with tribal masks, intense vegetation… I think we are in the same approch : “Back to the roots” !
Live Painted snowboard for Salomon
