British artist Richard Sayer – aka Funeral French – is known for his work within the skate world, having created art for industry heavyweights Volcom, Santa Cruz and Vans to name just a few.
His work takes influence from skate culture and metal music, where skulls, reapers and thorny calligraphy are often contrasted with graphic lines and a neon colour palette.
French is currently in France working on a new project. We caught up to find out more about his latest work, influences and how his art translates to tattooing…
Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you located these days and how long have you been creating art?
My name is French. I’m an artist and illustrator, I primarily work in the skateboard industry but also work for advertising, print, music, clothing, food & drink and any other industry that would like to employ me. I have exhibited all over the world & I run a little ‘brand’ called DUNGEON which started as zines and patches, and now I make some other bits and pieces. I am currently in France for a few weeks working on an upcoming range for Volcom. I am based in England.
When did skateboarding become an important fixture in your life?
I got my first proper skateboard for Christmas in ’91 and it’s been a ‘fixture’ in my life ever since then.
The recent summer Olympics has drawn a lot of attention to skateboarding as a competitive sport. What do you think about the current scene? Who are your favourite riders, past or present?
The Olympics doesn’t really mean anything for me. I think it’s great that skateboarding is now recognised as an official ’thing’ and not just a fad, also that some skaters can really make a living and career from their talent.
For me, personally, skateboarding is not a sport or something that can judged or that anyone can compete in.
I didn’t pay any attention to the Olympics. But I think skateboarding is now like music, there’s so many different ‘genres’ and ’sub-genres’ you can be skating and not really have anything to do with another form of skating. The Olympics is so far from what I think of as skating that it really has no effect on the way I see or relate to it.
My favourite skaters are probably Danny Sargent, Shawn Martin, Corey Chrysler, Chris Swanson, Mike Manzoori, Donovon Rice and Elijah Ackerley.
It seems that you draw a lot of influence from metal music, too. Who are you listening to at the moment? Any all time favourites?
Recently I’ve been listening to Gutless, Stalker, Heavy Sentence, Internal Rot, Mortuary Spawn & Vile Apparition. It’s hard to say all of my all time faves, obviously stuff like Motörhead, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Venom, Slayer, Anthrax, Exodus, Nuclear Assault, Saxon, Tank, Bolt Thrower, Napalm Death, Electro Hippies, Cancer, Kreator, Sodom… I mean the list could go on forever!
What’s been your favourite project to work on so far?
I really can’t answer that one, there’s been so, so many fun projects. Getting to do all the artwork and painting a pirate ship that’s also a bowl at Hellfest in France was pretty rad. But each project has its own exciting parts.
Your ‘Goat of Hades’ design has been immortalised as a whole front piece, it’s a really impressive tattoo! Do you know the artist & client? How do you feel about people getting your designs tattooed?
I can’t remember who the guy was or the tattooist. The client was from Portland, Oregon and I know he got it done in Israel. He works for NASA or something and was working out there.
I really like it when people get my stuff tattooed. It’s a really big compliment that someone likes my artwork so much that they would get it on them for life.
It’s also really funny when people get the tattoo and it looks nothing like my work anymore!
Can you share a bit about the gallery you operate and curate, which artists have you exhibited?
It’s called 101, it’s more of a gallery for fun and to try and help show and promote underrated artists. There’s no real rules or agenda, it’s really to just show off work from people I’d like to help. In the first year I had shows from Kogan, Johannes Stahl, Gabriel Hollington, Chrissie Abbott and more. It’s a very small space in the front of my studio in an old cigar shop. It’s been going for a year and half.
It was all made possible by Vans, they were willing to help support a project that would promote artists not working so much in the commercial or institutional realms. They helped pay the rent for the first year and also helped with making zines and other merchandise stuff from each artist that means we can sell that to help pay the artists for having a show. As well as selling original works and prints.
At present I am in the middle of looking for a new space somewhere south of London. If you want to check it out: 101alle.com
Lastly, can you tell us about any recent or current projects you’re working on?
I just finished working on some new stuff for Decrepid (a UK Death Metal band), Aries, Lazy Oaf and I am currently in France making some wood cut paintings for a Volcom photoshoot, to help promote a clothing collection I have been working on with my wife Chrissie Abbott. I am also going to Portugal this month to paint a mural in a hotel, so things are pretty fun and busy.
