Portrait: Vincent Faudemer, the Art of the Message Through NFTs

Trending since 2018, Vincent Faudemer evolves with his beliefs and conveys messages about consumer society. The true success of his NFT collection “Babolex” now allows the contemporary artist to shine the spotlight on the world of cryptocurrencies, with one firm belief: blockchain technology could transform certain aspects of society.  

Fully covered with silver nitrate, dressed in shiny costumes of all colors on a pedestal, he now carries every product and logo from prestigious brands. Through Vincent Faudemer’s artistic vision, the famous elephant king, the hero from the cartoon Babar, has become a new icon for luxury giants. Supreme, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, or very recently Rolex: nothing escapes him.  

Already dubbed “the little prince of contemporary art” by Forbes Magazine, Vincent Faudemer has not finished surprising the world with his work. With the many celebrities and public figures following his creations, he now relies on NFTs and hopes to aim even higher.  

The Childlike Symbol: An Artistic Red Thread as the Source of Success  

The Babolex Phenomenon

Between Vincent Faudemer, in his thirties, and Babar the Elephant, the timeless character, there is a great love story. A story that began in 2018, when the artist, inspired by Jeff Koons, reworked the cartoon character. His idea: to pair him with the most famous Swiss watch brand, Rolex: He had just created Babolex! A project that resonates as the perfect blend of innocent childhood memories and luxurious, extravagant consumption.  

A bronze sculpture and a painting with chrome later, the Caen artist had brought his “contemporary Babar” to life. The character, which makes anyone who sees it nostalgic, has now become “bling-bling.” Always in a green suit, he now wears a Rolex around his wrist, and his yellow royal crown now resembles the logo of the Swiss brand.  

When Vincent Faudemer finally revealed the elephant he had reimagined, his career took a real turn. That day, the world was charmed during the Fashion Memories exhibition at the Palace Plaza Athénée. The Caen artist had chosen to match a Babar sculpture with each great luxury house: colors, iconic accessories such as the famous Chanel bag, and each Babar had its own prestigious brand.  

Worldwide Fame

With such a project, the Caen artist succeeded in winning the hearts of many industrialists, entrepreneurs, stars, and athletes from around the world. He even became something of a darling. The elite scrambled for his works at the first auction held in Monaco in September 2018.  

This was followed by a journey to the four corners of the world, crowned by meetings with the personalities who admire his work. One fine day, he received an unusual phone call. The heirs of The Little Prince rights granted Faudemer the right to produce an exclusive series based on Saint-Exupéry’s work: a true “honor” for the artist, who was moved by the opportunity to work on this character from his childhood.  

Raising Awareness About Modern Consumption Patterns with the Help of NFTs

From the very beginning of the collaboration between cartoon hero Babar and the Rolex watch brand, Vincent Faudemer was certain. He already knew that he would not limit his work to the physical world. On the back of each of the eight unique sculptures from the first Babolex collection was the Bitcoin logo.

This is how the artist launched the Babolex NFT collection on the Solanart platform. The same spirit is present around the character of Babar, but this time in a 100% digital version. The entire collection was accompanied by Golden Tickets, directly inspired by the physical collector cards Faudemer had marketed. Thus, he decided to digitize the same concept.

Currently, at least 1235 people own more than 6000 Babolex NFTs. Even better, the phenomenon continues to grow in the digital world. The Caen artist's NFT collection has broken records on Solanart (SOL) with a trading volume exceeding 182 SOL in just 24 hours.  

His crypto project is close to his heart because it also hides his ambition to convey a strong message about an ultra-capitalist world that increasingly emphasizes consumption. A fundamental question that Vincent Faudemer wants to raise in his own way. He encourages his community to think differently about how art is bought, sold, and owned.  

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Art for a Good Cause

This wild adventure, set against the backdrop of artistic performances, is not just about the “feeling of leaving a mark” for the Caen sculptor. He channels his creativity to support various causes. Since the success of Babolex in 2018, he has decided to donate one of his creations to the Prince Albert II Foundation, before it was sold for 40,000 euros at a charity gala focused on biodiversity preservation.  

At the same time, the artist puts his energy into charitable projects, such as the one he carried out through a collaboration with Marseille rapper Soso Maness. This collaboration aimed to provide meals to those in need.