Pop Terror

Pop Terror is an artistic initiative that draws its inspiration from the codes of pop culture and the world of Art Toys. Launched in 2023 in Lille by a French father-and-son design duo, the project aims to create an original artistic proposition by inventing characters that serve as creative canvases.

The essence of the Pop Terror project lies in creating characters that are both strong enough to leave a mark and neutral enough for everyone to project their own imagination onto them. This unique approach allows a deep interaction between the work and its audience, opening the way to a multitude of personal interpretations.

Behind Pop Terror is a fascinating intergenerational duo: a son and his father. Romain, 21, is a 3D FX artist trained at ArtFX school and based at Plaine Images. His experience includes creating 3D animations and effects for cinema and advertising, as well as a stint in car design at KIA Europe Design Center. Fred, 48, is a graphic designer who graduated from the Beaux-Arts in Tournai, Belgium. His career includes working as an illustrator for the press and the web, as well as a career as an Art Director in communication, transmedia projects and animation, collaborating with giants such as Samsung, Airbus, France Télévision and Groupe M6.

The story of Popterror began with its creators’ shared passion for contemporary art, graphic design, pop culture and Art Toys. Their collaboration gave birth to the character “EQSO”, the fruit of extensive graphic research and sketches. This playful, colourful universe evokes the codes of childhood. The first prototypes were made in resin on a 3D printer, followed by a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter in February 2024. This led to the production of a collection of three Art Toys in a limited series of 500 copies.

Given the enthusiastic reception from the Art Toy community and Toy Makers, Pop Terror expanded its offer with new “Shapes” for larger formats and monumental creations. The project has also opened up to collaborations with other creators, such as the artist @hellomeda, who designed a series of limited-edition posters inspired by the EQSO creation.

Pop Terror thus represents a unique fusion of contemporary art and popular culture, offering a new field of expression for the collective and individual imagination.