POPek Balloon Dogs Series
Limited Edition Sculptures
Whatshisname’s POPek series of balloon dogs hit the headlines in 2012, when the London Underground failed to see the funny side and banned his art from the Art Below exhibition at their underground stations for being ‘offensive’. Originally created as a parody of Jeff Koons’ signature balloon dogs – which have sold for up to $58.4 million at auction – the series quickly progressed and is now on display in locations as varied as the Cathay shopping centre in Singapore.
The name is split into two parts: the ‘Pop’ refers to Pop Art and the sound that a real balloon would make, while the ‘ek’ is taken from a nickname of Whatshisname’s high school friend. He adds: “My colours are inspired by children’s birthday party balloons; they’re supposed to evoke happy and joyful feelings. A lot of people think of the meaning behind the artwork, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the emotion it evokes.”
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I think my POPek dogs are popular with collectors because people can see the humour in them and they put a smile on their faces: that’s something that you can’t find with many artworks.
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Poses are taken from the behaviour of real-life dogs, including a German Shepherd and Yorkshire Terrier from Whatshisname’s childhood, and the puppy he owns now. They show the happy, playful nature of our four-legged friends and their instantly-recognisable stances, along with a few poses that their owners may also try in yoga! He says: “While some artists approach the subject from the perspective of a toy or a balloon dog being supersized, I create my sculptures with the narrative of a balloon dog becoming a real dog.”