EVENT DESCRIPTION
Be Our Guest is not just an invitation, it’s a welcome into the strange, soft, and sarcastic world of Studio After Cigs. Led by a cat named PowPow, this debut exhibition opens the door to quiet chaos, emotional honesty, and humour that hits a little too close to home.
You might find humour in each piece, but before you go, take a few more seconds to meet PowPow stare. You might feel a little different.
The work of Studio After Cigs revolves around PowPow, a black cat holding a wine glass with an air of effortless cool. Beneath PowPow’s iconic and wildly popular persona lies a philosophy for modern life—he’s the perfect avatar for our collective state of mind, using a tipsy, laid-back vibe to catch the weight of life’s exhaustion and its inherent irony.
PowPow masterfully captures the urban dweller’s weariness and self-deprecating humor, the inner beast that stirs during external storms, translating it into visuals that are minimalist, light, and witty. No matter the scene, beneath that perpetually “over-it” gaze lies a current of rebellious strength—a charming anti-hero holding his ground.
The stark contrast of blues and reds on the canvas maps the poles of emotion. Within these minimalist compositions and bold color clashes lives a quiet conviction: a belief in finding beauty in life’s flaws and embracing its beautifully unhinged moments. It mirrors our own restrained composure by day and our silent rebellions by night.
Through PowPow’s surreal adventures, the artist weaves personal anxiety and courage into a whimsical, humorous narrative. This allows viewers a moment of respite within the absurdity and fosters a gentle belief: that after every storm, we can always raise a glass, laugh it off, and carry on.