Gigi Rüf Method | Photo: Ludschi

Words: Christian Bach

As Gigi mentioned, art is of great importance to the Pirates crew. Most of the art is found in the ArtBook carrying the DVD. The ArtBook is edited and designed by Ludschi who is in charge of all of the Pirate’s print visuals. Ludschi has a lot of friends around the world working as artists who share his mindset. He mostly met them on snowboard trips, at art shows, or in some cases, in a bar while downing a bunch of schooners. One of his friends is well known ex-pro snowboarder Lukas Goller and another, Papriko, who formerly rode for Zimtstern. But there are also artists like Michael Hacker who hadn’t previously been involved in snowboarding before now working with the Pirates. These artists add their unique views of the world.

You and the Pirates have put a lot of effort into combining snowboarding and art. Why?

LUDSCHI: Whether it be shredding, or drawing for instance, both start with a person being free-spirited and ready to commit to his passion. It has always been important to me to support this kind of person and to return input to them. The ArtBook was a consequence of this thinking – broadening the surface and allowing artists to show a broader set of skills.

Nowadays snowboarding videos are criticized for being “all the same…”

I think there is a certain type of snowboard-porn-movie where soundtrack and graphic make the only difference. And we are trying to set ourselves, and hence the movie, apart from that. But honestly – we need a certain amount of the 1.2.3.-action style too. Boardbagged was different but a side-project to the “regular movie.” It was refreshing to a certain group of peeps, but with “Bottom Line” we definitely want to reach a broader spectrum of snowboarders and art fans.

Is art a way of looking at the same things differently?

… that might just be it.

Do you feel young shredders are encouraged to think like that?

There is a lot of copy, paste mentality in this sport – whether it be videos, magazines, fashion, tricks, trips, chances are you have seen it all before. But I am pretty sure that kids will see this as their chance to go their own way and find appreciation for it.

How does this link up with Bottom Line…

(Laughs)… well I would think this is easy: Do your best, show an eye for detail, stay motivated and connect your ideas with those of your friends and whatever it is you do will turn out to be of great quality. That’s the bottom line…

Check out the rest of the Pirates Bottom Line Is… series below