LEGO Pop Art in Paris: The Modern Minifgures of Wawapod
One day when walking down the streets of Bordeaux, France, I discovered some LEGO street art by chance. I scanned an included QR code and discovered artist Warren Podguszer aka Wawapod. I was impressed by his work combining pop art with the LEGO culture that I love. I got in touch with him to discuss his art.
Sam: Hello, thanks for chatting with BrickNerd. Could you tell us a little about yourself?
Warren: My name is Warren Podguszer. I am a painter, and I live in Paris.
Sam: You seem to like to use pop culture icons in your creations with LEGo recurring numerous times. What is it about LEGO that captures your imagination?
Warren: LEGO is a very popular icon that connects directly to childhood. I also like its unique anonymous repetitive side.
Sam: The painting "Two Worlds" is a collaborative work—can you tell us more?
Warren: I collaborated with a Parisian artist Ouestled who is very talented. He works mostly with black markers and always draws instinctively, letting his creativity express itself without a filter.
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Sam: You’ve become known for the minifigure outlines artwork. Can you tell us about these canvases and about your process?
Warren: I first obtained these visuals digitally then I cut an outline by creating a stencil for each color. I created several versions with different backgrounds each time playing on the contrasts.
This series shows the multiplication of a simple visual to create a unique work each time.
Sam: “LEGO Tétine" is one of my favorite—Doh !
Warren: Pop accumulation is a style that I integrated here using different cartoon characters in a LEGO. Centered around Maggie of the Simpsons, the pacifier refers to childhood (and also to me experiencing fatherhood for almost two years).
Sam: You have a very particular style that we can recognize throughout your paintings.
Warren: Yes, I like to mix known references with the familiar and at the same time anonymous LEGO shape.
I also like to create associations by giving funny artwork titles. Like Obama in a LEGO, Legobama, or Legomarsi or Legomessi.
Sam: What are the stages of creating this type of painting?
I often work first digitally, then I draw my lines directly on the canvas. I have gradually developed this style composed of the accumulation of curves or dots that reveals faces. I first started in monochrome with black curves on a white background.
I then integrate forms into them like La Joconde (Mona Lisa), Venus de Milo, The Thinker by Rodin, and even Mickey...
I also gradually began to play on the alternation of colors between the curves, which create a certain vibration.
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Sam: I discovered your work in the streets of Bordeaux. Why do you do that to display your art?
Warren: I first started by printing pictures of my works on paper and then sticking them all over Paris or even Bordeaux.
Then I started spray painting, cutting out stencils, then putting them on the sidewalks, with the slogan "BONJOUR AMOUR TOUJOURS". (NOTE: loosely translated to “Hello, Love Always.”)
Sam: Where can we see your work? Do you have any upcoming exhibitions planned?
Warren: I have been exhibiting in “Le Lavomatik” gallery through March. I will also show in the SOLID’art show at the Carreau du Temple in Paris from April 20 to 23.
I also take part in a festival of street art in Paris which lasts a year called the Colors Festival—I created a wall six meters long there.
Sam: LEGO collectors love to decorate their workrooms with things inspired by LEGO. Do you sell your paintings?
Warren: Yes my paintings are for sale—some are in galleries with others in my studio. You can visit my store on my website or visit the Gallery Art Generation in the L’Oeil Ouvert Gallery near Republique.
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Sam: Thank you for chatting with us and sharing your art, Warren!
Warren: Thank you for the opportunity, Sam.
Best of BrickNerd — Article originally published March 6, 2023.
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