“Skiing gives me inspiration, art lets me translate that”: Max Palm on creativity, skating and his new collection

This weekend, Swedish mountain Peak Performance is turning London Bridge’s White Ground Skatepark into a snow sport and street skiing playground.

Headlined by Red Bull athlete Max Palm, the Max & Friends event will see the big mountain freeskier bring along pro friends, as well as local grassroots skiers, to grind rails, pull tricks and generally have a good time to mark the beginning of the winter season. 

It comes as a celebration for his limited-edition Peak Performance capsule drop, featuring graphics that Palm designed himself. Away from the slopes, the skier is a longtime lover of art, illustration and photography, and the collection gives Palm a canvas to get creative.

In anticipation of the event, we caught up with Palm to hear about it, his love of skateboarding, and finding different mediums to express himself.

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Can you tell me about your skiing background?

I started skiing as soon as I could walk, from around a year and a half old, so I basically grew up on skis. I began with alpine skiing at 14, but I always knew I wanted to freeride. I used to say, ​“When I grow up, I want to be like Sverre Lillequist,” one of the pioneers of Swedish freeskiing and a huge inspiration for me. Once I started competing, things went really well, and I realised how much I loved it. From there, it just naturally turned into a career.

What attracts you to big mountain and freeskiing?

What I love most about big mountain and freeskiing is the freedom to express yourself. There are endless ways to ski a face — you can choose different lines, do tricks, or just enjoy turns. It’s like a giant blank canvas where you can do whatever feels right that day, and it’s that freedom and creativity that keeps me hooked.

Tell us about your love of art and drawing.

I’ve always loved art: drawing, taking photos, filming — all of it! I wouldn’t say I’m amazing at any of it, but it’s just another way to express myself. Skiing gives me so much inspiration, and art lets me translate that feeling into something different.

Who are your biggest art inspirations?

That’s a tough one. I don’t really have specific people I look up to — I generally get more inspiration from nature, like the shapes of mountains, water, and light. I also love skateboarding photography — there’s something so visually pleasing about it. Honestly, inspiration comes from everywhere; it just depends on the day.

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Do you see similarities between art and freeskiing?

Definitely! Both are about self-expression and doing what feels natural. Drawing lines on paper or in the mountains – it’s all the same creative flow. As long as it feels good and comes from within, that’s what matters most.

And their difficulties?

The hard part is when things feel forced – when you’re told to do something that doesn’t come naturally. That’s when it stops feeling authentic.

You skate as well, right?

Yeah, I’ve always loved skateboarding. I grew up skating with friends – never competitively though, just for fun. It’s such a big part of how I move on skis too; the creativity and flow from skating really translates into my skiing style.

You’ll be at the London skiing event at the White Grounds Skatepark – sounds like the perfect setting for you?

Yeah, I’m super excited! I’m not usually a street skier, but I love the crossover between skiing and skateboarding. I’ve always wanted to hit a setup like that, and doing it in a skatepark just makes it even more special. I can’t wait!

What’s the upcoming winter season looking like?

I’m still figuring out my plans, but I’d love to film in Japan and Alaska and also spend time shooting in Europe. Mostly, I just want to chase good snow and have a great time.

Tell us about your capsule collection with Peak Performance.

It’s been such an honour to design this collection with Peak Performance, launching November 7. We worked on new shapes inspired by streetwear and skate culture. I’m really proud of how it turned out and can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on!

Max & Friends: Snow Rail Jam takes place at White Grounds Skatepark on Saturday, November 8.

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