Hetok : flash designs and irony galore
Hetok likes horror films, San Francisco and rock ‘n’ roll. Inspired by skateboard culture and 90’s movies, the illustrator from Nantes instinctively creates a whole load of completely offbeat and humorous tattoo flash designs.
Hi Max! Let’s start at the beginning: why Hetok?
There’s no real story behind it! I started doing graffiti at a young age and I quickly needed a signature. I kept it, I communicated with it and it stayed.
Where did you train?
I did a literary baccalaureate with an Arts speciality in Arcachon, then a year at the Beaux-Arts in Pau, but I never really got into it, I really wanted to do an illustration course. My sister recommended I try the Pivot school in Nantes and I managed to validate my illustration course. I loved the town and began to make contacts within the skateboarding community.
Part of your work is made up of very simple and funny flash designs…
For a long time I refrained from doing that kind of work, as if you always have to do very technical or explosive things in illustration. I struggled with going back to more minimalistic things, in black and white, that are very intuitive really. Flash designs enabled me to quickly jot ideas down on a piece of paper, even if it meant redoing them three or four times, because I can’t work for long periods of time. They also allow me to come up with ideas, using humour and references and I like that.
But you also depict quite a few skulls, what do they mean?
I’m not a dark person if that’s what you mean! Quite the opposite, I like things that are fun, the retro style of the 90’s and before that. When I worked at Artprint in Bordeaux (a firm that makes skateboards), a guy asked me to design a logo for him with an American theme, and I started to draw skulls using thick lines, with hair and beards. It wasn’t in a dark, gothic tattoo style, but rather in an American horror film, “z-movie” style.
What relationship do you have with the United States, from an artistic or personal point of view?
On the whole, I think the skate world is entirely linked to the States. All my artworks, concert posters, album covers or skate graffiti come from over there. Whether it be in music or art, skate has influenced me a lot.
Talking about skateboarding, you hung out with the Nantes scene for 10 years, what did you design for them?
I met Thibaud Fradin from Milk in 2006, he’s the one who placed his first order from me (skatebaords). I began working for them, and I followed that with skate competitions, events, clothing brands…
What kind of relationship do you have with that city?
Artistically speaking, it’s really cool, the people there are very friendly, and even though you can feel a competitive vibe, nobody tries to do you wrong, on the contrary. There’s an incredible amount of talented people, and for a city which isn’t that big, there’s a real mix of styles.
Why accept to do a collaboration with OLOW?
The brand is cool. You’ve already done loads of collaborations with great artists, and it’s always gratifying. It was funny to model! To go from illustration to modelling, it was fun!
Any projects in the pipeline?
First, I’d like to finish my exhibition “90’s Super heroes never die”, and complete it with posters I haven’t finished yet, like Terminator, Home Alone, or Mrs. Doubtfire. At the moment I’m working on flash designs, the screen printing studio “Du Grand Chic” offered to do a few prints for me. I’d like to do a series on The Simpsons, by taking a few characters, a punchline and distort them more or less stupidly. I’d also like to do an exhibition with my girlfriend and her blog “Salade tomates oignons”, we could interpose my flash and her visuals and do something really quite amusing.
Who would you chose if you had to promote an artist you know?
Camille Dronne did her first exhibition in the gallery I created, called “Adults Only”. She’s a really talented photographer, go check out her work, it’s minimal and very colourful.
… a 90’s film?
Beverly Hills Cop
and a band?
JEFF the Brotherhood. Really cool garage rock. And once again, “Salade tomates oignons” (Davyna), for her mixes and for her blog.
A big thank to Max for his answers. You can follow his work on Instagram or on his Facebook account.
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