Lucas Beaufort

Recover Project — French skater Lucas Beaufort picked up a paintbrush and began breathing new life into the old skate mags he adored while thrashing the streets of Cannes.

Growing up, Lucas Beaufort was surrounded by his mother’s paintings, so it was surprising he only chose to pick up a paintbrush aged 26. He “suddenly felt the need to create, to free my mind. Since that day, not one second goes by without me drawing and cultivating my imagination.” After raiding his vast collection of skate mags he began breathing life into their old covers in his own infectious style. Lucas’ fun-loving monsters all inhabit the same surreal world where nobody takes anything too seriously. Huck had to learn more about the Recover Project and the weird world of Lucas’ imagination.

You got into painting quite late. What suddenly made you decide to pick up a paintbrush and start working?
“Throughout my life I have always tried to learn something new. Skateboarding was the first thing, just after learning to walk. Then I did so many things, like playing guitar, running 10 km during 100 days, building huts, raising animals, selling ads, serving soup in restaurants and finally painting. I’m 32 years old and I feel like a kid.”

Is it true that all the magazines you paint on are from your own personal collection?
“I do have a big collection, but as soon as I started this project I contacted a whole load of different skateboard and snowboard magazines from all over the world: USA, France, Spain, UK, Australia, Portugal, New Zealand, Canada, Russia, South Africa. I receive 30 different magazines every month.”

Could you tell me a little more about the world your characters live in?
“It’s getting crazy man! Initially, it was agreed that the monsters have the right to escape from my head at night only, but it’s different now. They negotiate the right to leave when they want, so you can imagine the mess at home. I feel great with them, they grumble a little when I spend too much time with my wife but the cohabitation goes well.”

I recognise a cover from an old issue of Huck…
“You mean, the cover with Thomas Campbell? Well, first of all I really love this picture. I felt something when I got that mag in my hands. I don’t need a lot of time to understand where to go with my painting. Either I feel it or I don’t, it’s simple. I can close my eyes and the lines appear.”

How does your reinterpretation of magazine covers give them a new life?
“I always loved print. Painting on a cover is like giving it a chance to reappear, but differently, with small little monsters and their need to spread love around the world. If I paint on it, it’s because I need to do it. It’s hard to resist.”

Follow Lucas’ Recover Project here or pick up a copy of the book here.


Ad

Latest on Huck

Elderly man with glasses, white hair, and suit; young woman with long brown hair playing electric guitar on stage in green jacket.
Activism

Bernie Sanders introduces Clairo at Coachella, urging young Americans to “stand up for justice”

Coachella charmed — The Vermont Senator praised the singer-songwriter for her efforts in raising awareness of women’s rights issues and Gaza.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Vans

The Changing Face Of Brooklyn, New York’s Most Colourful Borough

After three decades spent capturing stories around the world, Magnum Photographer Alex Webb finally decided to return home to Brooklyn – a place that champions chaos, diversity and community spirit.

Written by: Alex Webb / Magnum Photos

Black and white image of subway carriage interior with sleeping man seated on bench
Culture

The mundane bliss of New York’s subways in the ’70s

NYC Passengers 1976-1981 — During a very different decade in NYC, which bounced between rich creativity and sketchiness, photographer Joni Sternbach captured the idiosyncratic isolation found on its rail networks.

Written by: Miss Rosen

A man playing a guitar whilst a horse stands beside him in a rocky, moonlit landscape.
Music

Analogue Appreciation: lullahush

Ithaca — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, it’s Irish retro-futurist lullahush.

Written by: lullahush

Two people of unidentified gender intimately embracing and kissing on a bed.
Culture

Spyros Rennt captures connection and tenderness among Berlin’s queer youth

Intertwined — In the Greek photographer’s fourth photobook, he lays out spreads of togetherness among his friends and the German capital’s LGBTQ+ party scene.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Surfers against sewage protest box floating in water with people swimming around it.
© Alex Brown / Surfers Against Sewage
Sport

The rebellious roots of Cornwall’s surfing scene

100 years of waveriding — Despite past attempts to ban the sport from beaches, surfers have remained as integral, conservationist presences in England’s southwestern tip. A new exhibition in Falmouth traces its long history in the area.

Written by: Ella Glossop

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.