On Friday night, I was lucky enough to attend the official US launch of Sang Bleu: a magazine started in 2004 by Maxime Büechi that counts art, fashion, sociology, literature, and, more unexpectedly, tattooing, body modification, and fetish among its topics. Since I’m a fan of all of the above, I also went into East River Tattoo in Greenpoint to sit down with Maxime and discuss the ins and outs of Sang Bleu, his travels, and tattoos…

Read our interview and also check out photos from the opening at Envoy Gallery, which was a collaborative effort of both the launch of the magazine in NYC and a display of artwork from Thomas Hooper.
 

Sean Risley: I noticed that a majority of your artwork is clean, bold & geometric. Does this have to do with your love for typography? Do you think your current artwork is influenced by any past or current artists?

Maxime Büechi: It absolutely has a link to my education in graphic design, typography and people like NORM, and also by influences inside tattooing like Hooper, Jondix, Rinzing, my friend Liam Sparkes, and obviously Filip Leu, whom I apprenticed with. I draw inspiration from classic art and crafts: a lot of ornamental art, classic painting, even impressionism. Putting together last Friday's show was really inspiring as I had to write about it and spent a lot of time discussing painting matters with Thomas. I think his work links with artists like Rothko, Yves Klein or Joseph Beuys in a strange way. I think tattooing is now slowly but surely reaching a whole new level in its artistic value.
 

SR: There should be a huge emphasis that Sang Bleu is not merely a "magazine" but more of a “publication / book.” Sang Bleu is carried at Colette, Surface to Air, the Museum of Modern Art, Oki-Ni, Maison Martin Margiela in Brussels and so on. Do you feel that it has been an uphill battle with pitching that Sang Bleu is not just another “tattoo magazine.”

MB: Oh, absolutely. That positioning is what took the most energy and still does. There are still battles to fight as far as this cause is concerned and it is kind of exhausting, I must admit. But, it is where the most interesting achievement is as well. When I started Sang Bleu, I wanted to make a statement, not a fortune.

SR: You expressed being a huge fan of the hip-hop duo Clipse (Maxime was playing one of their many mixtapes while I was getting tattooed). Could you explain your personal relationship with hip-hop while growing up?

MB: It is a simple and complex question. I will be as synthetic as I can be. I have been into Hip Hop from the second I first heard a rap song. It was Big Daddy Kane's "Raw" in 1988. Growing up in Hip Hop in the early 90's taught me that whatever you claim you must earn and that you have to pay respect and dues. But also, that if you can't enter through the door, you break a window. It taught me to start with the street, with the people. And finally it taught me how to channel all the violence and hate into something artistic (I was a graffiti writer for many years.) Rap is a much darker music than Metal or Goth. It comes from the darkness, it is not fantasizing about it. It gives it a nice form but fundamentally, it is dark. I love this duality. I am like this, to the bone.

SR: While the focus of Sang Bleu is art, fashion & tattoos, I feel that you still consider yourself an outsider when it comes to fashion. Do you think you’ll ever feel more comfortable with it?

MB: I am an outsider, period. It is my nature. I always was, at school, in my family, in any circle, and society. And I learned to live with it. But I am perfectly comfortable now! I used to be very sad and tortured, but not anymore. I might decide to settle in one field soon, we'll see. I will just let it happen. I don't wanna control everything anymore. Fashion is something fundamental for me because I always wanted to control my appearance. I understand and love fashion, I just don't belong to that particular society, or only marginally.

SR: Rick Owens pieces are scattered throughout the current release of Sang Bleu #5. Could you go into how you first came into contact with/ developed a relationship with Rick?

MB: My relation with Rick Owens has two origins. First, we have an artistic connection because I have an immense admiration for what he does; always have. Rick's world has always been like everything I like transposed into fashion. Then, there is also a personal relationship, mainly through [Rick’s wife] Michèle Lamy. I owe the introduction to my friend Adrien Pelletier who once worked for Useless Magazine. With Michèle, it has instantly been a very intense and inspirational relationship. She perfectly understands what we're trying to achieve and supported Sang Bleu in any way she could. She is the Godmother of Sang Bleu! 

 SR: I also noticed an editorial featuring Hannah Marshall- are the fashion editorials often pulls from stylists or are you approached directly by the designers themselves?

MB: Both. We actively look for new designers that we find inspiring and decide to bring them forward, but mainly, fashion is used [in the magazine] by the stylist to serve and artistic end. We always set up shoots very carefully and make sure that they fit in the whole picture.
 

SR: You’ve done a feature on Scott Campbell’s Saved Tattoo Shop. Was the attraction natural for them to be in Sang Bleu?

MB: To tell you the truth, I didn't know about Saved and Scott, and I still haven't met Scott in person. The feature was put together by a contributor and I learnt about them when I got it! I am discovering the NY and US tattoo scene right now, as Europe has a scene of its own. But in any case, it is amazing for me to now get to see and meet this scene for which I have a huge admiration and respect. Tattooing here is more embedded in society, and at the same time, more free. It is fascinating.

SR: Since Sang Bleu’s first issue #0, have there been any specific moments in its lifespan where you felt that you were doing something more than just a small magazine, and something much “bigger?”

MB: I can talk more in terms of key acquaintances than key instants. To me, the launches and exhibitions are always such amazing moments. You get to meet those who support and understand you. When I see the mix of people there, I feel we did our job right. But there has been a few key moments, like (more or less chronologically) meeting Alex Binnie, Emmanuelle Antille, Thomas Hooper, Adrian WIlson, Diane Pernet, Jason Farrer and then Kris van Assche, Michèle and Rick, Riccardo Tisci, or on Friday, David Coggins, and Banks Violette. All these people inspire me and represent all these facets of myself, and therefore Sang Bleu. But more than anything, meeting and working with Jeanne-Salomé has made me reach a whole other level I always coveted, but hadn't the necessary means to achieve.

SR: We talked at length about what you considered your home base. You expressed a deep love for NYC and its ease of travel and social diversity versus London, Paris & Switzerland. Do you think this will be your new home?

MB: That is a tough one! I am like a bottle in the sea with a magazine inside of it! I consider London home, but NY is good to me and Sang Bleu. Also socially and culturally I think the US is a very interesting and propitious ground for this project. I am really excited right now especially as the whole exhibition worked so well. I am coming back for a few months this summer and I will be able to tell you after.