Fredrik Andersson, 27 from Sweden. He is definitely the talk-of-the-town in London. He is low-profile and prefers to let his work speak by itself. His pottery work is featured in the iconic Liberty in London, while his zines can be found in sophisticated bookshops and naughty sex-shops all over the British capital. YASS magazine met Fredrik and here is the verdict.

Illustrator, brand designer, comic artist. What else?
I would not call myself a brand designer. Haha. I am an illustrator with a huge
interest in the comic as a medium.

What is the success behind your zines?
Well for the boys boys boys zine i tried to let go of all sense of caring about what other people expected of my drawing and just did something that made me
laugh. And I guess you can feel that when looking at my drawings. But the
mistreated zine is another story, since it is a story with a more “serious” tone
based on my experiences during my coming out period I think that a lot of people
can relate to it.

What do you enjoy drawing?
People and characters, since people and what they do is what I get inspiration
from mostly it is what i spend most of my time drawing.

How did the gay illustration come into your life?
Well, I guess it is a natural thing as i try to promote my own queer agenda. I
haven’t really thought about it that much to be honest.

Where does the obsession with bears come from?
Well I do appreciate my furry men. I am kind of making fun of my own obsession
with the drawings I do. Hollow eyed people in their nude forms, ridiculing but
also celebrating. But I haven’t only been drawing men, I think they are just the
drawings that gets the most attention since I do have a bigger gay following on
instagram.

How do you react when people come to you to ask for drawings of themselves?
Haha, well, I guess it is flattering. It’s nice to see that people like my work. And I only have myself to blame i guess…. The humour for me in the drawings that I do, male or female, is that they realise that I’ve had to picture them nude for my drawings as I never get full nude photos as reference. Haha, also to point out that I don’t want people to send me nudes, it takes away the humour for me.

What is your biggest talent?
Oh that is a tricky one to answer….. Maybe my carefree attitude to dancing at
clubs. I’m shit at it, but I don’t give a fuck.

Does the gay scene in London influence your work?
As my work is very gay orientated as it is a big part of my persona. But I’d say its more my growing interest in gay culture than from Londons own “scene” as my
work doesn’t really reflect upon London as a city….Yet.

Are your drawings representations of your personal life?
Fuck yeah. I don’t have the imagination to make up shit like this. Haha.
But, I also drawn a lot of random thoughts that I do not even know where they
come from. I mean i started drawing these sausage dog creatures the other day
and im having a hard time seeing what part of my personal life they represent.
Other than my weird sense of humour i guess.

What are your plans for the future?
To finish school and make more comics and hopefully be happy!

Which artist do you admire?
My biggest influences would probably be Jeffrey Brown and Mike Mignola!

Has recognition and fame changed you as a person/artist?
Ha, no. Its not as if i get recognised on the street. Ive been recognised at a club
once i think….. But i guess if anything it makes me calmer and more confident in
my own work. Learning to trust my gut about what i want to do.

What do you find most appealing in as male body?
What is there not to like? I find a wide range of body types attractive but i have
never dated a man without facial hair…… which is kind of embarrassing but i do
like to stroke a nice beard.

Do you consider the characters in your drawings profoundly innocent?
No….. definitely not. If you are talking about my nudes i would say no. As most of
them are probably the opposite of innocent. Peeing themselves, spreading their
buttcheeks and blurting out idiotic and whiny comments. I wanted to make
something where i showed the people in their pure form and making them and
myself pay for the stupid and silly things that we do and say.

What keeps you drawing?
I don’t know really, some deep urge that i cannot even explain? I do not have any
dreams of making it big or getting recognition in the world. I do my drawing
mostly for myself and no one else.

 

You can find him here: www.instagram.com/freddelanka