Jacob Ovgren – Issue 34 Interview

Introduction & Interview by Guy Jones

Photography by Nils Svensson

I’m not entirely sure when I was first made aware of Jacob Ovgren; artist, skater, dreamweaver; but I always hoped that, regardless of output and documentation, he would be oosting the finest kickflips off camera and filling his sketchbooks with weird and wonderful content. Meeting him in Amsterdam a few years back furthered my theory and I thoroughly enjoyed talking about subjects that didn’t include art or skateboarding (aside from mediaeval graffiti). Looking around and seeing actual journalists talking to skateboarders about competitions and projects etc., I felt smug knowing I was having a better conversation and very anti-system in avoiding what I had been sent there to do. A few years on and Jacob has lots in the pipeline. He continues to grow his incredible output and it seems that the less he needs to ham it up with ‘press release’ style explanations, the better the results. Thank you so much Jacob, I could only like you more if you were one day to put your fist through the internet.

Yes Jacob, how are things? To start this off, could you please tell me a food which pisses you off (perhaps it’s quite arrogant) and why?

Hi, everything is good here, early mornings and late nights! I’m not that picky about food, food, I think it’s more about the quantity. I went to a fancy restaurant once and the portions were small and half of the food was stuff you could pick yourself, like nettles and stuff. That pisses me off! I want expensive things, like mango or caviar.

The last time I spoke to you was in Amsterdam a few years back and you told me about your mediaeval graffiti book. I love a bit of toilet wall graffiti and Jono who writes for us has an extensive collection of shit skatepark tags. Could you tell us why you enjoy this book and do you find it funny that this form of humour has been around so long?

Oh I’d love to see that collection! I find this type of thing extremely fascinating, it says something deep about humanity. At the surface level toilet graffiti seems like a modern phenomenon, but the restless nature and the urge to scribble has always been there. This book was focusing on church graffiti, probably because those are some of the few buildings from those times that are left almost intact. The mere thought of a bored peasant, scratching down the struggle of ordinary life… now that’s interesting.

I heard you’re also into ancient musical instruments, how did you get into this and do you dabble with playing any? What is it you like about them?

Good question. I think it’s the rawness and the fact that they are quite limited in what you can play that got me hooked. Limitations are good! Also when I’m dabbling in music I’m always looking for that odd, hard to place sound. Everything makes a sound and everything that makes a sound is an instrument. I don’t know who said that, but probably someone smart.

If you, Phil Evans and Mike O’Shea were mediaeval weapons, what would each of you be and why?

Phil is definitely a guten tag – like a big hammer, HELLO! Mike would be something more sneaky, maybe a knife. An Italian stiletto seems like his style. I would be a crossbow. Just aim and shoot! full power : )

You had a bit of a hiatus from being as present in the skateboard industry where you took up a job as a mailman. Did you feel burnt out and decided to take a more conventional job to pay the bills, OR (my personal theory) were you method acting to pursue an action thriller film involving renationalisation of post worldwide?

Almost! I was fed up with late deliveries so I took a job there hoping to change the postal service from within. In the end it just got way worse though. I guess when you do something for a long time even the most exciting things get ordinary, so it’s good to switch now and then. First you realise how great your previous gig/job was, and then hopefully you can go back!

Was this about the time you got diagnosed with ME? Did the diagnosis help change your approach to ultimately benefit you and what would you recommend to anyone who also has ME? Does diet play a big factor?

Okay it seems like ME is more the fatigue part, but my biggest problem is that my immune system is too powerful (MS) or has just gone a little haywire. Everyone would benefit from eating healthily and having control over their diet, it’s just that with any kind of illness or disease the threshold is lowered, so it just becomes even more important!

Comparatively are you enjoying skating and art more now and what helped get your mojo back? Did moving to the country help with this?

My arm stopped functioning for a bit due to the MS, but with the help of modern medicine it all got better. I guess things like that make you appreciate life a bit more, you quickly realise how short and fragile everything is. There is simply no time to fuck around any longer! So yes, in a way even if everything just got a bit harder, the body is getting older etc., it’s way more fun now than it’s ever been. I’ll have to come back to you with a country update, we only just moved out a few weeks ago so I can’t really say yet.

You’re starting a company called ‘Puff’, tell me everything! This is an evolution from your ‘Puff’ zine series right? Is it refreshing to do something independently as opposed to working for brands?

Yes, I or we (me and the Alv) have been thinking about it for quite some time. I have so many drawings lying around that I’m very happy with and I just want to do something cool with them, like a weird perverted cousin to Polar. There are just a lot of things to consider. Is it going to be a skate company? How gnarly a drawing can you put on a t-shirt? If anyone out there has any good input please send the answers to Jacob_kiler@hotmail.com. But it is very interesting to do something on my own. Hopefully it’s going to feel like a smooth transition from the zines to more zines and a few pieces of clothing.

It must be quite a trip production-wise moving into boards. How will the graphics and message differ from the zines? Also do you want to punch the person who invented wheelbase in the chops or give them a big kiss?

My hope is to keep the feeling of the zines, funny weird! I’m not sure if I got the wheelbase question correct? But anyway, it would have to be a kiss I’m against violence.

What famous art movement most reflects a perfectly executed kickflip?

Hmm, I guess Naivism would be quite close. Perfect in its imperfection.

Why does your dog hate men and does it also have core socialist values?

Yeah she’s a freak. I think it has something to do with the testosterone smell, but yes, she’s a hardcore feminist.

Could you talk about the work you’ve chosen for this interview please? I absolutely love the cover with the text.

Thanks, it was super fun to work with. I guess that shines through. I didn’t want to fuck with the cover photo (which is banging) too much, so I really tried to work around it. You should see the first few drafts though, horrific. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.

Could you talk about the work you’ve chosen for this interview please? I absolutely love the cover with the text.

Thanks, it was super fun to work with. I guess that shines through. I didn’t want to fuck with the cover photo (which is banging) too much, so I really tried to work around it. You should see the first few drafts though, horrific. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.

Do you find it bittersweet knowing that the selected works will be a different scale to how they are displayed amongst these pages, and have you been working much larger recently? How’s that, is it the more modest you get the bigger the work in some sort of odd paradox of mentality?

It’s nothing I’ve thought about really, but maybe you are right. Usually I’m not really thinking too much about any of my drawings or paintings, it’s just that deep urge to do them. Even if most of the things I do start without a meaning, that void gets filled quite fast. I just need to start and then the meaning can evolve later. You’ve just got to trust your instinct and that it has something you can bring forward. But trying to work big has been a challenge, it’s such a different thing from my regular A4 drawings.

You’re filming a part with Mike O’Shea (and the content is banging!) Are you more motivated because you are obviously friends with Mike and are familiar with his aesthetic? Does this in turn reduce pressure? Are you scared it might end up in a porno flick?

Haha! Yes, there’s always that risk when you’re dealing with Mike. He’s a great filmer though, super good at finding spots and has very cool creative ideas. It has been so nice going out, just me and him talking shit, looking at spots and basically just hanging out. I think for filming it’s been great with just the two of us, the perfect amount of pressure!

Everyone goes on about creative outlets being good for you and I’m sick to death of it. Yeah, no shit mate! However I hear you have a naughty book. Is this a similar release to, say, William Burroughs writing ‘The Naked Lunch’ in the sense you can release all of your most horrible thoughts?

I’m not familiar with W.B., but it sounds quite similar. Sometimes I just get this urge to put stuff on paper, even if it’s really horrific. I just can’t help myself! I’d probably save it until I have fuck you money, then we ́ll see what happens!

Do you have any good tattooing stories and did you ever have to say no to anyone wanting something a bit too out there?

There have been times when I’ve thought, “Ouch, I wouldn’t do that,” but each to their own I guess!

Got any good Swedish/ancient slang?

Not really a slang term, but I’m very fond of the expression ‘Ugglor i mossen’ (Owls in the mice), which means there’s something fishy going on! The origin is the most interesting part. The expression started in Denmark as ‘Wolves in the mice’ (which make sense), but then when the last wolf became extinct they had to change it to owls. I mean, who’s scared of owls?

If drawing is K-Pop, what is painting? Working with both mediums, do you embrace the restrictions knowing that it may work better for one medium as opposed to another?

Yes. It’s a totally different thing! I’m such a beginner at painting so at the moment I’m just experimenting with a little bit of everything, but painting feels very podcast compatible. At the moment when I try to paint I just want to focus on anything but the painting.

Could you please recommend us an assortment of things – that could be literature, music, a breathing technique or absolutely anything – if you’d be so kind?

Don’t mess around with ink and brush. Use a Pentel brush sign pen!

Bathory – Hammerheart

Happiness 1998

Toyota Hilux

The Bible and Jesus!

So you’ve got a company in the works, you’re working on a part, it seems like the momentum is high! Anything else in the pipeline my mate?

Yeah it’s been busy the last few years! I really want to get some bees and make skate honey.

Love Jacob’s artwork so much you want to physically wear it? Then click the image below and finally look as good as you feel!

Want more Jacob in stylish documentary form courtesy of Mike O’Shea? YOu’re in luck! Click here and get more familiar with this brilliant person, pt together by another brilliant person.