Sands China has recently brought Philip Colbert’s iconic Lobster back to Macau for a colourful, playful exhibition. From January to March, local residents and visitors are invited to dive into Coastal Fantasia: The Lobster King’s Vacation in Macao, a maritime and cultural tourism exhibition concurrently showcased at five different locations in the city. Highlighting Macau’s unique coastal beauty, the larger-than-life installations and sculptures crafted by the globally acclaimed British contemporary pop art master are bound to leave everyone smiling and clawing for more.
Until March 16, this exciting exhibition will grace the waterfront of the Macao Science Center. The showcase features a brand-new, 15-metre-high inflatable installation, Lobster Submarine, alongside four thematic art sculptures along the shore- line, accentuating the beauty of Macau’s coastline. And at The Venetian Macao, a majestic 7-metre-high Lobster Flamingo is floating on the waters of the outdoor lagoon to kick-start The Lobster King’s enjoyable vacation on the Cotai Strip.
“I’m honored to be by such a beautiful, historical, remarkable landmark building like the Macao Science Centre. When this was first proposed as a location, I was like, Wow, what a location!” said Philip Colbert at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. “And having the backdrop of the city like this, you really couldn’t paint a better backdrop for the submarine.”
“As a British artist, I’ve always been obsessed with pop culture. And as a kid, I grew up listening to the Beatles and Yellow Submarine was a song I really loved. It had this positive child-like energy so there was something I loved about that song,” adds Colbert, explaining the inspiration behind his work.
“I think somehow the album cover of Yellow Submarine got stuck in my head, and later when the lobster became my character, just naturally I was pulling all these other pop culture symbols together that I liked and felt they were part of my world. And the submarine somehow became this car that the lobster would drive. So this is an idea I’ve had in my mind for a long time and to bring it to life here is just great.”
To expand Colbert’s artistic footprint into neighbouring community areas, Sands China, the Cultural Affairs Bureau, and Philip Colbert have co-organised the artist’s inaugural solo exhibition in Macau, The Journey to the Lobster Planet Macao. Set to run until February 15 at ART Space at Macao Cultural Centre 1F, it features a collection of over 20 newly created artworks, including oil paintings and sculptures, letting visitors immerse themselves in the allure of pop art in a museum ambiance.
Colbert’s artworks are also located at the historic sites of the former Iec Long Firecracker Factory and Taipa Houses as part of Sands China’s Community Revitalization Programme: Philip Colbert’s Macao Art Tour. Among the seven sculptures on display are a Lobster Firecracker and Lobster Cockerel specially crafted by Colbert by drawing inspiration from these two historic locations. In order to enhance the Lunar New Year ambiance, a range of lobster-themed decorative installations and themed activities further immerse visitors in the festive season.
“I feel very excited to be presenting a city wide takeover, which seems to be the largest single artist intervention in the city ever. It’s a really exciting opportunity to bring my art across the city in so many different ways,” comments the artist.
“The venues are all so different, which is amazing. I love how there’s a journey through the history of Macau. The Taipa Houses are a really amazing example of ‘Old World’ Macau, just opposite the new world of Macau – The Londoner, The Venetian and The Parisian Macao. With the wetlands in the middle, the sculptures are in between the old and the new, which I find very beautiful. And the fire cracker factory is also remarkable, with so much amazing nature and trees everywhere, and the heritage of such a historical factory with such an important story and the relativization project going on there.”
Living and working in London, Scotland-born Philip Colbert is often referred to as the ‘godson of Andy Warhol.’ With his energetic approach to painting and pop theory, his paintings cross high art themes from old master paintings and contemporary art theory with everyday symbols of mass contemporary culture, all narrated through the eyes of Colbert’s cartoon Lobster alter ego.
Since 2014, Colbert has held more than 50 solo exhibitions worldwide, having frequently appeared in Asia, including various cities in China, Japan, and Korea. He last visited Macau for Sands China’s exhibition for Art Macao 2023. Colbert famously staged an artistic intervention in 2022 ahead of the opening week of the 59th Venice Biennale with an inflatable lobster sculpture that floated along the Grand Canal. For the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, he held a public exhibition featuring his giant sculptures at Station F.
Free to visit, this art series is brought to Macau by Sands China with the support of the Marine and Water Bureau, Municipal Affairs Bureau, Macao Government Tourism Office, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Public Security Police Force and Macao Science Center.
Coastal Fantasia: The Lobster King’s Vacation in Macao
Date: From now till March 16
Location: Macao Science Centre, Taipa Houses, former Iec Long Firecracker Factory and The Venetian Macao
