Melbourne Design Week has become a vibrant stage for French artist Lucas Lecacheur, who is currently showcasing his audacious surfboard designs at the At the Above gallery on Fitzroy’s Gertrude Street. Known for his boundary-pushing creations, Lecacheur invites onlookers to reimagine the conventions of surf culture, coupling art with functionality in a way that challenges the status quo.
A Fusion of Art and Functionality
Lecacheur’s surfboards are nothing short of extraordinary. Picture a surfboard split down the middle to mimic crab pincers, or another fashioned to resemble a flamboyant stingray. One design even features a webbed underside akin to a duck’s foot, while a vibrant red skateboard shaped like a cartoon flame adds to his eclectic portfolio. Each piece not only defies traditional aesthetics but also remains entirely functional, seamlessly blending artistry with practicality.
Growing up on the French holiday island Île de Ré, Lecacheur is no stranger to the ocean’s waves. With a background as a rock musician touring with his band, Bad Pelicans, he has always sought to innovate—whether through sound or design. “In rock’n’roll, I was always looking for a new sound, a new energy,” Lecacheur explains. “I thought, how can I bring that to surfing? What if I made a cowboy boot surfboard? A guillotine surfboard? A brutalist one? A crab?”
Immersed in the Creative Process
Currently in Australia for a six-week residency, Lecacheur has transformed the gallery into a personal workshop and living space. The cavernous venue is filled with a plethora of his creations, and as I visit, I find him dressed head to toe in black, strumming a guitar by the window. This scene feels almost staged, a deliberate tableau that showcases his artistic spirit.
Among the scattered vinyl records and vintage Scarpa lounge chairs, Lecacheur is immersed in his work. It’s a far cry from the conventional artist’s studio; he sleeps on a mattress on the floor, surrounded by a montage of his designs and inspirations. Here, he experiments with his latest creations, including two new surfboards specially crafted for the Melbourne Design Week. One, dubbed Château Rouge, boasts a cowboy boot nose and a forked tail, while another is a unique piece shaped by the very landscape of Australia itself—dragged through the bush to collect its essence.
The Artistic Journey of a Global Nomad
Lecacheur’s boards are made in the traditional manner, using standard materials like fibreglass, yet his approach is anything but conventional. He dresses in stylish vintage suits from renowned designers, believing that attire can influence creativity. “When you dress in a different way, you might end up with a different result,” he says. “Style is a muscle.”
His innovative spirit has garnered attention far beyond France, with Lecacheur building a following in Japan and the United States. He admits that his lifestyle as a traveling artist can be isolating, but he remains committed to pushing the envelope. “I believe if we go outside the box and explore, we could find something that could be an advancement, a progression,” he shares. “But someone has to try; otherwise you’re not evolving.”
In addition to his surfboards, Lecacheur engages in a whimsical photography project called the White Fin Project. This playful series features a white surfboard fin attached to various everyday objects—ranging from a grandfather clock to the Eiffel Tower—transforming the mundane into the extraordinary. “For a brief moment, an ordinary object is turned into a ‘vehicle of magic’,” he explains, highlighting his desire to inspire creativity in others.
Why it Matters
Lecacheur’s work is not merely about surfboards or aesthetics; it’s a broader commentary on creativity and self-expression. His designs encourage individuals to embrace their uniqueness and dream beyond conventional limits. In a world that often stifles innovation, Lecacheur stands as a beacon for those willing to challenge the norms and explore new frontiers. By intertwining art with functionality, he not only reinvigorates surf culture but also ignites a spark of imagination in all who encounter his creations. Melbourne Design Week runs until 24 May, inviting audiences to engage with the bold and the beautiful in design.
