Quentin Monge

Interview by Glenn Sakamoto

Quentin Monge is a French surfer/illustrator living and working in Saint Tropez. Growing up near the Mediterranean Sea, Quentin spent his time skateboarding and surfing, drawing and being influenced by vinyl album art and French Posters. We spoke with Quentin to learn more.

Where did you grow up and what was your childhood like? 

I grew up in the south of France near Saint-Tropez, right on the beach. My house was 50 feet away from the sea and behind us, a hill full of pine trees. My childhood was ideal, building a hut in the forest and going to the sea everyday.

Please tell us about your introduction to the ocean and how you began surfing. 

I’ve spent most of my life by the Mediterranean Sea, in an area so not well known for its waves, but more for the old billionaires who spent summers in their villas. But under certain weather conditions we can have pretty good waves from September to April. It’s rare enough to literally stop everything you do once some swell is coming. 

As a teenager I was more into skateboarding, but I saw people leaving work and skipping school to go surfing. I was coming back from school and seeing this group of people in their wetsuits no matter what the weather was. As long as there are waves they would be there. All that excitement really piqued my attention, so I started to go from time to time. It was later on that I really got into it, once I could decide how I could organize my life and calendar.

When did you begin drawing and painting?

Pretty early, my first memory is me drawing in the wet sand at the beach with a wood stick. I still do that actually. 

Who do you admire in the world of art and design?

My first introduction to art was through vinyl record covers. My parents had a decent collection and I remember loving looking at all the details from the cover picture to logos and typography. They also had a couple of art books but I wasn’t interested so much at the time as I was more into graffiti.

Then I discovered all the French Poster artists like Villemot, Auriac, Savignac and it really blew my mind. I loved everything about those vintage posters. Besides that I’ve enjoyed later on all the masters' work like Matisse, Picasso, Vallotton and Derain. 

What do you hope to create in the mind of the person viewing your art?

I hope to give them the sense of simple beauty that you can find out there in every moment. 

How does surfing and its culture have an influence on your work?

It really teaches me to be grateful for what I’ve got while I’ve got it. As I said, we are not spoiled in good swells here. You can salute the beauty of nature once it gives you those waves and then the next day it’s gone. Same in life, you just have to let go, it’s just a series of experiences. It can be frustrating, but it’s a valuable lesson.

“You can salute the beauty of nature once it gives you those waves and then the next day it’s gone. Same in life, you just have to let go, it’s just a series of experiences. It can be frustrating, but it’s a valuable lesson.”

What brings you the most happiness in the world?

Being the person I am today, close to the dream I had as a kid. Seeing the world through my son’s eyes and enjoying family time. Getting some good waves from time to time and going to chase them when I’m sick of waiting.

What challenge or struggle in your life has made you into the person you’ve become?

I always had that fear of being a grown up that I couldn’t look up to as a kid. The struggle has been to “stay true to the kid” I was and follow the life I was meant to live.

What is your current favorite board? 

I’ve recently collaborated with Bleust surfboards in Biarritz who makes great products locally sourced, shaped and glassed. We developed it with their shaper (Lutasurftoys). It’s a midlength, single fin – very versatile and perfect for the various conditions we can have here. It's called Bastille. I have it as a 7’3.

Your favorite surf spot?

I’ve had the chance to travel and surf a bit, but home spots will always feel different. Along the coast of Saint Tropez you can find some lost creeks. I still haven’t explored all of them. With a good swell from the east you have to walk a few miles through a rocky path to find some perfectly quiet places. I won’t tell you where.

Who are some of the people you feel are shaping the path of surfing culture today?

I love when people open the horizons of their practice. When surfing is not limited to scoring the biggest waves or making the best tricks but seeing that it’s part of something much bigger. It’s intimately linked to art, philosophy and ecology. Filling your life with surfing can inevitably open your mind to beauty. I think of Gibus de Soultrait, William Finnegan, Joël de Rosnay, Thomas Campbell, Gerry Lopez. I like that surfing is central in their life but also just part of the puzzle. 

What's your favorite meal and what’s on your music playlist?

I really love Asian food, especially Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian, but I have to admit as a French dude my real addiction is cheese! 

My playlist is mostly Rock 'n Roll from early Garage Bands of the 60’s to more recent Indie bands and, of course, all the Classic 70’s dinosaurs. I'm also a big fan of Jazz. I’m currently listening to great guitarists Her Ellis and Remo Palmier - Winflower. I can’t find any record of this actually, if you got it and are willing to sell it, you let me know. 

What are you most grateful for?

Being where I belong and being able to wake up everyday, taking a big breath and knowing that I’m going to do something I really enjoy.

What’s next for Quentin Monge?

I hope to do more paintings, keep exploring new techniques, hopefully doing some shows and keeping an eye for waves if east wind picks up.

To learn more about Quentin Monge, follow him on Instagram here.