Hugo Liard – My Way
Hugo is the is the first pro I saw skate in person (hence what you’re about to read possibly sounding a bit corny). He was wearing the world’s tightest jeans and kept doing these slightly rocketed nollies and pop shuvits into lipslides on every rail at the skatepark going as fast as he possibly could, which may not sound that sexy on paper but to my 12-year-old eyes was the sickest shit ever. You could just tell he was having the best time and he gave off this aura of being really confident in not wanting to conform when everyone else at the park was desperately trying to be Peter Smolik in ‘The Storm’. I’ll spare you the details of how nice he was to me and every skateboarding child who fanned out on him that afternoon but I feel like this gives a little bit of context to the cosmic journey you’re about to embark on. Hugo was a true individual throughout his career with Antiz and that carried on into his life after he gracefully retired to build himself a house in Evian (from scratch, using YouTube tutorials). Above is a self-edited retrospective edit of all the best footage he accumulated over the years and below is an update on how he’s been living his life since.
-Arthur Derrien
Ludo Azémar, Sam Partaix, Rémy Taveira and Hugo at an Antiz prem. Photo: Fabien Ponsero.
‘Around 2005 I started waking up from my conditioned life and started finding my true self. The illusion of ”ME” slowly died and I started seeing my life and this world in a different light. These changes led to the idea of finding a place on earth where I could grow my own food, have a healthy environment and be away from all the craziness of this world. For many years I prepared my heart and mind for this and slowly the desire grew strong enough for it to become reality.
Through my whole life I never wanted to pay to live and I always felt that life should be free. And for a long time it kinda was as I was rolling around the world with my magic carpet board. But in some ways I was just running away from the reality. In 2010 I faced it all and decided to make some changes. I left Antiz (business wise), bought a piece of land from Evian, France and started building my own house. For few years I built it mostly by myself because I wanted to know every part of it. Sometimes I needed help from friends and Chloé my soulmate but most of the times I was digging, sawing, insulating etc. by myself. As it grew it became my very own cosmic ship. A ship to cross all this chaos we are living in. And all I needed inside was the essentials: water, food and love.
So here I’m living now with Chloé and together we are a force of love, working everyday around the land and the house. We have everything we need: electricity, rain water, stove heater. We still need to install drinkable water and biogas. At the moment we are 50% self sufficient. One foot in this crazy world and another in our kingdom. I think everyone should build their own house. It’s a natural transition with skateboarding. It’s not easy but neither is skateboarding which thought me the strength to do it. It’s like trying a trick with just a couple of friends giving help, advice and courage. A house is just a bigger board with the planet as it’s wheels.
Photo: Gabeeb.
I’m not here to hide from anything. Everyday I try to bring a balance to this earth and between its lights and shadows, both inside and outside of me.
I am like a pirate who’s found his treasure island. I still remember all the past trips, oceans and lands I crossed. They are carved in my heart and they will always be a big part of my strength to do what I’am doing now and in the future.
Over the last few years, I was fighting with my board to pass a message through my tricks with Antiz and my friends. I skated to say ”NO” to these unnatural controllers, to these vicious reptiles who want to destroy our roots. I grinded federal banks’ marble benches, broke huge business tower stairs, slided rails like politicians’ faces and I will continue to skate to this message till my last day on this planet. I fight to put more YES and less NO in mine and other people’s lives.
Boardslide. photo: Fabien Ponsero.
So again I am using myself and this video part here to pass on this message humanity. Today we have a chance to change the world we’re living in. This part is a call to the consciousness and the light inside of you. Just like you need to know your run up, the spot and the landing you need to know your history, your life and where you’re going. Just like you travel around the world, opening frontiers to find new spots and discover different styles of architecture to ride, you can open new realities inside of yourself. Question everything you’ve been taught and look inside yourself. You have the power to become who you really are. Don’t listen to the man yelling from the top of the pyramid. Build your own one with love and compassion and share it with others.
Chloé helped put together this part and this message. I love her just like I love all of you and invite you to join my family as the people that wish to return to their roots.
Keep on pushing hard and learn from your slams. Become who you truly are.’
Hugo Liard
