Rip Curl AD36, 2024

Wags  

Wishing to explore new artistic universes, Wags is none other than Kobalt who signs under this pseudonym so as not to interfere with his usual work.

Kobalt, born in Paris in 1970, embodies the journey of a polymorphic artist whose creativity has spread from electronic music to contemporary graphic art. Coming from a family where art was already present thanks to his father, a designer, Kobalt discovered his first passion, musical creation, at a very young age. This passion guided him in his youth, and his precocious talents led him to make a bold decision: Invest the money intended to finance his higher education to invest it in the creation of his first album.
Distributed by EMI, the album did not meet with the expected success, but it marked the beginning of an artistic career rich in experimentation.

Alongside his musical career, Kobalt entered the world of advertising as a designer/editor for the iconic Playboy magazine. For many years, he lent his creativity to the publication by creating and directing the magazine's advertising campaigns.

The turning point in his career came in 2005 when he became a cameraman, exploring a new facet of the visual world. In 2007, he discovered a passion for photography, adding another artistic string to his bow. In 2010, he successfully founded his own photo agency, highlighting his entrepreneurial spirit.

In 2017, Kobalt made a radical choice to sell his agency to fully embrace graphic art, influenced by his son, who became a major figure in global street art. A pioneer of computer-assisted artistic creation, Kobalt stands out with more than 2,000 works sold in galleries and online to date.

His artistic approach is marked by the daring use of humor, provocation and anachronisms, with a particular penchant for hijacking magazine covers, a style that makes him instantly recognizable.

The influence of contemporary artists such as Banksy and Shepard Fairey permeates Kobalt's work, reflecting his continued admiration for these iconic figures. Despite the digital age, Kobalt has chosen to remain outside of social media, maintaining a certain privacy. Today, he uses every digital tool available to bring his creations to life, continuing to push the boundaries of artistic expression with a subtle blend of inspiration, innovation and humor.