Matteo Vandeputte

Filming across Belgium’s streets, Matteo has been quietly building a body of work rooted in patience and repetition. Hailing from a country where nothing is guaranteed with changing weather and rain stopping play for the winters, Matteo has battled the elements to refine his style at such a young age. Although still in high school Matteo’s skating has a certain maturity to it, honed in at the DIY park in Mechelen, technical but loose and spontaneous at the same time. Part of a new generation shaping the Belgian scene, Matteo represents a style that’s less about noise and more about presence. We gave the up and comer a call to discuss studies, the importance of good food and the DIY culture that moulded him.

Give us a little background on yourself?

My name is Matteo Vandeputte, I am 19 years old, I live in Lander in Belgium but I usually skate at the DIY park in Mechelen. I’ve been skating there a while – it’s a great community. I’m still in school which fills my days - I study Electotechnics, I messed up two years so I’m currently redoing some studies but I’ll finish up in June. On the weekends I film and skate and afterwards, when I’ve finished school I want to study – not sure what yet, maybe renewable energy. I feel like I want to keep working in something related to electronics and work with my hands – I feel that’s important in this day and age.
 

Talk us through your journey in skateboarding?

I started when I was 7 or 8, my father wanted to learn how to skate and when he was learning I started to learn it too as I wanted to be like my father. We started to learn how to drop in together, it was really fun. Then at some point he quit as it got too scary and I kept going… Weirdly yesterday I was with a friend talking about when we were younger and he showed me a video of me skating around when I was 7 or so, it looked like my skateboard was a longboard, I was so small. I was hyped.

From there, I just kept skating the DIY spot in Mechelen with the homies and then at some point I got sponsored by the local skate shop - that sadly isn’t in existence anymore  -but the guy there knew a filmer, who films for Vans in Belgium and we started filming together. I remember the first session we filmed together I got like three clips and from there I just kept filming every weekend. From there we made a video and I kept skating. That was the start of Vans for me, I would get shoes from the skate shop and samples and it all went from there, now I’m on the European team and I’m hyped. I’ve been on a few trips with Chris (Pfanner) and all the guys, I’m stoked on it – it’s a good crew.

How’s the vibe on the Vans team?

It’s very much a family vibe, everyone cares about each other. It’s a really nice crew with really good skaters and really nice people. There’s no ego, just skating and having fun. I love it.

Talk us through your recent part, “Chillin Like A Villain”

That came together because of the guy from the skate shop and Harry the Vans filmer. We just locked in and skated everyday, around Mechelen and Brussels as well as other places in Belgium. We didn’t really set out to do a part, we just had fun and skated a lot and then one day sat down with what we had and thought – maybe there is a part here. It took like a year and half or so. In the winter it’s hard to film in Belgium – it rains all the time.

Where else do you like to skate outside of Belgium?

I really like to go to Athens, It’s really sick there. Good marble spots, red carpet run up and red carpet roll away on stairs, it’s a dream. The food is also amazing, I’m a fan of Souvlaki. It’s a good place for a skate and gastronomic experience. Good food, good people – I like it.

Is food something you are into?

I like to eat, of course!

Do you see yourself living anywhere outside of Belgium?

That’s a difficult question, I’m not going to lie. I’ve thought about it a lot. I don’t know, I would like to move out but come back to Belgium a lot – just try and avoid the winters here for four months or so. I don’t even really know where I would want to live, I would just want to travel and live everywhere. Athens, anywhere there is sun and good people and good skate spots. I like to swim in the sea, so that’s a must as well.

And outside of skating? What gets you fired up?

Honestly, I love to skate everyday. School keeps me pretty busy at the moment so I don’t have much time for anything else. Study, skate, repeat.

What and who inspires you in skating?

I mean I could name a bunch of pro skaters that I look up to but I really got and get inspired by people that I saw skating in front of me, the homies and the people that skated my home park. Simon Bannerot was there, I remember he was one of the first pro skaters I saw there and it blew my mind watching him skate. The same with Grant Taylor, who was once there as well.

Are there any specific crews or parts that you look to for inspiration?

I like the Bru-Ray video’s, they make me hyped to go skate with the homies. I watch most of the videos that come out and try and take a little bit of it with me. I really look up to my friends and the older generation at the skatepark.

How would you describe the community at the DIY park in Mechelen.

It’s a really tight community, we have a big community there with a lot of sessions going down and a lot of people come. We barbeque there a lot which is a vibe, we recently rebuilt the barbeque there so now it’s like a proper kitchen, so we are slowly but surely making it a better place. We look after each other and make the best of the place we have. It’s changed a lot over the years, before it was just the DIY spot in an area where no one would come, but now the city has redeveloped the area around it with a circus academy, a climbing hall and a sports complex – so more people are coming through.

What are your dreams and aspirations in life?

I want to skate and see where it takes me. I need to figure out a bit what to do with my live, but I’m still young – I have time to grow.

What’s your favourite Vans shoe to skate in?

Currently, I really like the Half Cabs. Been running them for a while.

Any last words? A message for the internet? A message to your former self?

Keep looking forward, don’t live in the past.