The Bobby Bones Show - Dare to Art Your Way with Victor Langlois aka FEWOCiOUS

Episode Date: September 21, 2022

Artist, FEWOCiOUS aka Victor Langlois, brings his infectious energy and palpable authenticity to the podcast this week. Sharing his journey of self-discovery through art with Betty Who, Victor breaks down the vibrant and unfiltered style to which he attributes all his success. Creating everything from dynamic paintings and sculptures to digital art and NFTs, Victor’s work has broken records with the iconic Christie’s Auction House. Gaining him global attention as one of the most popular NFT artists of his generation, Victor is only just getting started.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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see the right care fast. Health care just got less painful. Hey everyone and welcome back to unfiltered the JBL podcast and IHart Radio production in partnership with JBL. I am your host, Betty Who. It's me. Now, this podcast is a place to minimize the noise and tune into authentic and unfiltered conversations about identity, art, self-expression and so much more. And today's episode I couldn't be more excited about. We have an incredible guest who I think completely encompasses the idea of living authentically and being true to yourself. I am so excited to get to talk to this incredible artist. Yes, I am going to be joined by an insanely successful rising star in the art world, Victor Languwa. Using his bold and vibrant work, he has shared his vision and experiences with

the world across numerous mediums, from vibrant paintings and sculptures to killer collabs and NFTs. Victor's work has broken records with Christie's auction house, and he has gained global attention as one of the most popular NFT artists of his generation. I am so excited to talk to him. I have so many questions. Let's get to know him a little better and hear about his incredible journey. Well, Victor, aka Fawoshas, I'm so happy that you're here with us today. You have all of these crazy stats under your belt at this point. Tell us about where it all started. I feel like a lot of little kids just start drawing because it's just a little kid thing. You get a coloring book and crayons, but I loved it.

You were just really good. I don't know. I would look at other kids and they knew how to stay in the lines or they're like, obviously a fire truck is red, but mine would be like blue or I would just pick the wrong colors, whatever that means. And as I got older, all the other kids gravitated towards running around the playground and pretending. to be fairies and stuff, but I still wanted to keep drawing in the little coloring books. And then also, the coloring books have worlds. Like, you get like a Spider-Man coloring book or whatever themed coloring book, and I love being immersed in that world.

And I think, I've never actually thought about being four and coloring, but now I'm like, yeah, it kind of... That's where it all began. Yeah. Like, you're in this world of different creative universes, whether it be superheroes or princesses, whatever. And I think that's where that started. That's amazing. You work with a bunch of different mediums, right? What mediums do you love to work with? Where did you start? And like, how did you end up where you are now? So I started first coloring books, then drawing, then painting a little bit. But then my

parents would be like, you can't paint in the house. I was like, okay. So then I went back to drawn. And I was like, hey, grandpa, can you get me more colored pencils? And he's like, no, they're expensive. I can't just keep buying you art supplies. And I was like, that makes sense. Well, now what do I do? And I found the world of digital art. Oh, sick. And now there's iPads where you can just download an app for like $8 and the Apple Pencil's great.

But when I got into digital art, there wasn't the cool iPads where it's really nice. Totally. When I started, you get, it's like a black plastic thing that you hook up to a computer. And the black plastic thing doesn't have a screen. So you're drawing on the black plastic thing, but looking at a screen in front. of you and it's very, does not hit your brain right. You're like, I'm drawing on this thing, but I can't see it. It's really weird. But I started doing that and that opened my eyes to, oh, infinite colors that I don't have to pay for. I can make the canvas as big as I want. I don't

have to pay it. Canvas is really expensive. I don't have to pay for that. It is, yeah. I could just make my own worlds and then, you know, I'll watch YouTube videos and it's like, oh, video is art and then music is art. So then it's like everything. I like all the media. Yes. That's amazing. You have a really crazy story that I want to kind of maybe hear in your own words. Tell me about the Christie's auction. Okay. So I feel like a lot of people don't even know what Christie's is. Like honestly, I didn't know what Christie's was. It's like, I mean, it's a massive auction house, right? So it's like incredible art goes through this place and they... Yeah, it's like the kind of thing where like if there's a Picasso or like a big sale, it's probably a Christies or a Sotheby's. So Christie's is a big deal for an artist if they get in. And,

Before I got into Christie's, a digital art piece that was by an artist named Beeple sold a digital art piece for $69 million. So crazy. And that was the first time really in the news and everything that a lot of people were talking about just digital art. Yeah. And I was like, oh, Christie's messes with that? Like, they like digital art? I thought they would laugh at my face or something. So I was talking my manager, and he was like, by the way, like, that $6.9 million thing was crazy.

Have you talked to Christie's before? And I was like, no, I didn't know you could just talk to Christies, like, with the biggest auction house in the world. I didn't know they're accessible like that. He's like, yeah, their emails on their website. I'm just going to email them right now. So sick. It's so indicative, though, of your talent, right? It's like, the email is literally on the website.

Anybody can email Christie's and be like, hey, I have art. Like, it's literally a public. information it's available. And the fact that they replied and were like sick, yes, please, is so crazy and so cool. And how, you were really young, right? How old are you? 17? I was 18. And how old are you now? You're 19 now? I'm 19, yeah. Oh my gosh. This just happened still, basically. Yeah. So, okay, so Christie's emails you back. They're like, yes, we're obsessed. Like, what's the vibe? Yeah, they're like, yeah, you're so cool. Like, people is an older artist and the whole thing that he sold was years of like his art in one big

piece compiled together. And they were like, we think it's really cool. We just did him. You're so young. Like it's this cool, like next step of opposition. New person coming up. Yeah. Yeah. And so we get in a meeting and there's a moment where my manager were talking about life. We just got connected. So my relationship with him was new. And he was like, I was looking at your Instagram, just looking for inspiration, seeing all the stuff you've been. done before and I saw that your earlier art, you signed it Victoria and not Victor. And I've never talked about this with someone before. So there's a moment where my heart drops.

And I'm like, oh my God, I literally forgot about that. Yeah, who's that? Yeah, I was so involved in being 18, moved out and just not telling anyone that I'm trans, that I was like, oh, yeah, like, I am trans. Like, I've never talked about this. And he was like, if you feel comfortable, is that something you want to talk about? He was like, if you don't want to, we don't have to talk about that to the public. Like, that can be your own, you know, your own journey.

And I was like, no, you're so right. Like, I grew up, like not seeing that many trans men in the world. And the ones that I did see in, like, ad campaigns or whatever, like, just visible. It gave me hope to be alive, honestly. and it was this moment on the phone with him where my brain clicked. And I was like, yeah, this Christie's Sale is going to be about, I'm going to officially come out. Literally the auction title for my piece was, hello, my name is Victor. I just got goosebumps all over my body.

Oh my God, I'm so happy for you. I'm so proud of you. That's so cool. Thank you. And then they put you in the auction and then you had this like, so it's like a record-breaking auction. It's really crazy. Yeah, so it was five lots, so five different paintings that we put on there. and then, you know, it's just all online.

So my heart's racing. The auction opens. Me and my whole team are sitting at the laptop refreshing. Like, oh, my God, it's open. And then the site crashes. Because you're so lit and everybody's so obsessed with you and wants your art so bad. Oh, my gosh. And we're like, what?

Christie's can crash? Everyone's freaking out. They're like, whoa, like, y'all care about digital art like that. My tour's blown up. It was crazy. And then the traditional art world people that don't. don't even know that you can have digital art in an auction house. We're really confused.

They're like, what? You crashed the website. Wow. How'd you do that? Well, and so it's all of the art that you made for the Christie's auction, particularly, is all of that exclusively digital, or was it mixed media? It's like, I know that something that you have done in the past is working with physical art and then NFTs and sort of trying to combine stuff.

Like, what's your, for the Christie's one, what medium was it? So the original pitch was just all digital art, but I was like, no, I want there to be more. So the main point of the sale was the digital art piece. But then I was like, if you win the digital art piece, you also get a painting that's inspired by that year of my life. So basically how the sale worked is it was years of my life, 14 to 18. And so year 14, the digital piece was my reflection. now at that time. And then the physical piece,

I made it so that it's just all my thoughts at that time. It's like physical versus kind of emotional. Yeah, like the physical one would say like, I feel hopeless. And then the digital one would say, if only you knew how life could change. Oh, I love that. So it's like me hugging my past self in the digital version. It sounds obviously like you've really found yourself professional.

you've definitely had this moment of recognition and a taste of success in this really, in a large, like serious way. Do you feel more confident because you've had this sort of like external validation? Or are you just like, that thing happened? Wasn't that crazy? I'm still just trying to figure it out. You know, I think probably both, but I want to hear it kind of how you feel. So the Christie's, all the five pieces of the Christie sale, the total was like $800,000, like all of it added. Amazing. And, you know, I've never seen. money like that. That blew my mind.

As it should. That's incredible. But after that happened, it was my first time in New York too. So I'm just like in this new city and the biggest thing ever in my life just happened and it showed my name to

beyond my internet friends. It's like, oh, like random people know who I am now and will like stop me on the street and be like, hey, you're that guy that painted that. And it's like, whoa. And I found myself getting really sad because it's this thing I've always wanted like a city like New York and $800,000 like what?

Like who doesn't want that? Like on paper like it's the big dream. And then I found myself feeling so sad because I didn't feel like instantly happy. I felt grateful but like I thought it would like fix all the problems or all the trauma, everything that I went through. And my life I thought it like would all go away or something. something if I reached this or I didn't even think it was possible to reach something like that at 18. I thought I'd be like 40 or like maybe it would happen after I die to reach that success.

And the fact that it happened like my first year as an adult is crazy. Well, and I think also like, thank you for sharing that so candidly with me. I really think that like this is something that I still really struggle with and I think is very much something that audits go through all the time. It can be really hard and it can be really strange to like have this moment where you're like, supposed to be feeling like everything is perfect and I've made it in this moment. Why don't I feel like that? And so I think the thing I'm, I'm trying to work on at least, and I would love to know how you feel about this is like, it's like, it's about the experience of it, right? As opposed to like, cool, now the art is finished and now everybody else has to love it or it doesn't mean something.

It's like, no, the whole point is to be sitting in your studio, wherever you make art, like, doing the art. And then you're like, cool, that was the experience is the actual creation of it. People's perception of it later, I can't control that pot, you know? Yeah, I feel a lot better now. I feel I'm the happiest I've ever been now, like a year and a half later. We love to hear it. We love to see it. I realize that I don't think I was actually living in my life.

Like all these big things happening and people being like, you're in history, blah, blah, blah. It's like, well, if I'm here now, like, what's going to happen when I, like, later, like, stops being so excited. And so it's like being anxious, but I think I forgot. that it was my life and that it's so exciting and like yeah I have so much time to explore it is your freaking life and you can do whatever you want with it it's so true you get so caught up and everybody else's perception of you you forget that you have so much more control than you think that you do to do exactly what you want be whoever you want to be and I think something that like is maybe a theme that I'm maybe going to talk about a lot on this podcast in general is just like giving yourself

the time and space especially as an artist especially as a young person to make different decisions. Like, I want that. You know, I want more, but it's hard when you're like, no, but that isn't who I am. And I've never been that way. And now I'm afraid. It's like, no, you get to do whatever you want and make whatever decision is best for you and giving yourself the space and grace to experiment and, like, try different things and see if you like it and see how it feels. And then let it go. Yeah. I think letting go is probably the hot pot. I'm bad at that pot at least. I don't know about you. Yeah, it's tough. And I think looking at all my favorite artists that went through all these different eras and experimented and stuff, I would look at it as like a science of like,

okay, 10 years later, they did this and then like try to dissect it. And then I'm like, no, they were just, they didn't want to do that last thing anymore. So they followed their heart. And it's like, oh, you just got to, the answer is stop looking at other people's sciences and like just listen to you. Like, what do you want to do right now? If you don't want to do that, don't do it no more. Which maybe is like a good tie-in to all of this for like the fact that this whole, whole podcast is about, you know, being authentic and trying to find yourself. Like, I want to know sort of about you being so young still and having such a good head on your shoulders and being in a really good spot in your life, which I'm so happy for you. Like, what are the tools that you have

cultivated or especially over the last couple years as you've come into yourself? You've come out. You seem so grounded and comfortable with who you are. Like, I guess what are some of the tools that helped you get there? Like, what do you do to take care of yourself? The first thing I did when I made money was get therapy. That's so smart. Literally the first thing I was like, wow, of more than $100, I'm going to invest this. Most people buy a new car. It's really smart that you were like, I need to do some inside work before I do the outside stuff.

It's really amazing. Yeah. More on Unfiltered the JBL podcast after a quick break. Amazon Health AI presents painful thoughts. Why did I search the internet for answers to my cold sore problem? Now I'm stuck down a rabbit hole filled with images of alarmingly graphic sores in various stages of ooze. I can clear my search history, but I can never unsee that. Don't go down the rabbit hole. Amazon Health AI gets you the right care fast.

Health care just got less painful. And now, back to the show. I'm always so curious, like, do you, when you're working, especially, do you work at night? Do you work during the day? Do you like to listen to music? Do you need silence? Like, what's your process? Paint the picture for me with your words.

Silence is real hard for me. I don't know how people sit in silence and do stuff. My brain will just run a million miles a second. I need, like, noise to, it, like, puts my thoughts at peace. Or if I'm painting and I get stuck, I can listen to a song's lyrics or thinking about, like, the instrumental and get caught up in that, how their story tells. and then it like makes me feel safe and not just like it's all on me in a way like I feel like if I want to cultivate a particular mood I'll put on a other album or just a good playlist and it's like they're helping me amazing you know I often think about so much of art I feel like you know

at some point you are making it for yourself right because you have to want to make it for yourself to want to make it so there has to be some kind of instinctive like I want to do this I have a vision for this and then I think especially because then ought is meant to be shown or consumed by and be shared, at some point you also have to think like, okay, what do I want other people to feel when they see this or they experience this? Like, is there a theme to your work? Is it kind of always different with every piece? Like, do you have any kind of feelings that you're trying to pull out of people or share with people when you're creating? I think it'll start with just purely how I feel, just completely selfish, just pretending an audience

doesn't even exist. And then I'll look at it and I'll be like, is this clear enough if I'm a stranger that knows no context about who I am. Will you understand the story I'm trying to tell you, even if the story is very personal and whatever? And then I'll go in and I'll change it. I'm getting out of this now, but I found myself within the last few months, now that I am getting so much success and people are seeing my art, I found myself feeling like my art needs to be more polished.

But what does that even mean? And I think I was just scared in a way to just. be myself. And my art does require like putting tape and gluing paper and you see the glue and there's pastel and it looks a little bit not bad, but just, it's just free. And I was trying to make all the lines really clean because I thought that would make it better and nicer and if I'm getting to this level. Or like refined or something. Yeah, I need to be more refined, but I realized that's not me. What am I even doing? I think I was just seeing other people and I got scared. So I wonder like when you were getting more success and music and stuff,

did you have that moment where you're changing yourself? Oh, big time. Oh, my God. That's like all I did for the first 10 years of my career is trying to figure out how to be everybody else because that's all you see, right? I think that's so hard when you're trying to find your own path, right? Because you look around and everybody else is on their own paths, but you don't know what your path is yet because you're on it and you can't see it kind of through the haze of everything that you're doing. That's kind of where I'm at now, where I'm like,

I think I've been neglecting myself while trying to figure out how to be everybody else. And then you're like, actually, nobody can do what I can do, right? You have to know that you are special. You have to know that the thing that you're doing is individual or like, you know, you want to be contributing something. You're making art, right? You want to stand out. You want to do the thing that feels like nobody else could be doing.

This is so me. No one else could do this thing that I'm doing. I think if anything, like draw more outside the lines. Like, that's probably the right instinct. You know, you become more yourself. as opposed to, I think you said before, like, putting your blinders on kind of and, like, really focusing on what you're doing and stopping to not look around at what everyone else is doing. That's, like, probably the key.

You're really doing it. Thank you. Do you ever listen to old music that you made or, like, I'll look at my old paintings? And I'd be like, why do I like this more than now? And I'm like, oh, because no one knew, like, even though technically I don't like it more, like, conceptually, like something about it was just so free. and I'm like, oh, that's because I didn't care about anyone else. It was just me in my bedroom making this thing.

And I've been trying to unlock that again of I don't care. I'm just having a good old time. I think your instincts are really right. You know what I mean? They're really good to be like, have the feeling or have the thought or have the fear. And then be like, wait, this is who is who I am. Hindsight, again, this 2020, you're looking at these audits who have been dead for 100 years. And you're like, well, they made every right decision.

It's like, no, no, they were just, you know, messing around and trying to figure out life. And now we look back at it. And you're like, oh, you had it so figured out. Even you to yourself two years ago. You're like, I had it so figured out back then. It's like, if you asked yourself two years ago, you'd be like, no, I don't. You know? Yeah.

A million percent. Okay. You're amazing. I have a couple more questions for you. I, like, I just, I never want to let you go because I could talk to you forever. I really want to know, I feel like you're so confident. That's my perception of you. Oh, yeah.

I feel real confident. Yes. This is what we love to see. Because people sometimes, they're like, you're so confident. And I'm like, I'm really faking it today, like, please. So I love that you're like, yes, I'm confident. I'm here. Were you sort of always born a little bit with that, like, yeah, I'm confident.

Like, this is part of my personality? Or did you have to really develop it and kind of, have you arrived somewhere that now you're like, I did all this work to get here? All right. I'm about to be so honest right now. Be so honest. I'm obsessed. You're safe with me.

Okay. I always felt very confident. But my family was really mean and abusive to me and, like, would always push me down. but I always was just like, what I make is dope or like, I'll like draw a little like smiley face. I'm like, this is the coolest smiley face ever. And not even that I'm better than anyone, but like I'm just the best me for me right now. When you're celebrating yourself, it is not taking away from anybody else. And I'm very believe that.

Like you can say, I'm dope and not be like, I'm not saying I'm better than anybody. I didn't say that. I'm saying I think I'm awesome. Exactly. So like I always felt that. But then my family wasn't giving me that energy. So I was starting to feel like a little bit crazy. I was like, but I think what I'm doing is cool.

Like my art is cool. Like I've never seen nothing like it. And it's just so vibrant. Why is all the paintings beige? I want to see bright blue and red. And my parents would be like, no, it shouldn't be red. It should be realism. Why are you doing abstract art?

And I was like, because it's cool. Like I don't know. I've always felt that. Because I feel it. Yeah, your feel. It's all like it's coming from inside of you. I feel that. Yeah, so yeah, I've always felt that. And there are things I've had to work on, but I was talking to my therapist the other day. And I was telling her about my anxieties in like personal life and nothing even having to do with art. I didn't know how to tell her that I feel nervous to talk to people sometimes. So I was like, I told her, when I'm painting, I feel, I don't feel nervous at all. I feel like I'm flying. I can just do anything. And even if it doesn't look good or the story isn't right and I'm frustrated, I don't feel less confident. I just know that I'm like, I don't feel. I

can be better and I want to make it better. And she was like, what is that feeling when you're painting? Like, you should channel that when you're talking to people. You should channel that in your personal life too. And I was like, oh, I can have this anywhere. Yeah. Oh my gosh. That's a good therapist. And that sounds like maybe that has a lot to do with this place that you're at in your life where you're feeling really confident and really happy, like finding the way that you feel. That's so special and so cool. Okay, well, I always have believed that like, Queerness is magic. Like queer people are joy. I think that like just what you said made me think about how like the world is so beige and queer people in so many ways, people who are different,

people who are other are the colors, are the bright blue and the red and the vibrance. Like do you feel like your ought is really kind of like loud and colorful because you're sort of representing this part of yourself that is that sort of otherness? Do you feel like your, is there any kind of purposefulness as far as it tying into your queerness and being yourself and being like, I'm different. And I don't see the world in the same way as everybody else and my ought has to reflect that. Like, I don't want to put words in your mouth. I want to know how you feel. It's so interesting that you say that. I think being queer gave me like just a different lens on the world seeing like, oh, why do y'all do it this way? Like, why do you feel this way? And then

it's like, I think sometimes I'll paint something, not even thinking about being queer. And then I'll look at it and be like, oh, this is very queer and, like, has so many other meanings. And it's just so funny, what you said is right. I think it's so cool. It's like you're, I can see, I mean, when I look at your art, I can feel that sort of exactly what you said is so correct and it's so special where you're like, why is the world beige? I see it differently and I just want it to be better. And art is supposed to reflect the world that you want to see sometimes, not necessarily the world as it is. And so you're taking this beige world around you of not being supported, dealing with abuse and feeling like you can't be yourself. And so you're making this art that's so in opposition to

that, that is so you and having these feelings of like, should I change? And then you're like, no, I have to be myself twice as hard. It's like you're on this such a beautiful journey. And you are the absolute perfect artist for us to have here on this podcast that is literally exclusively about being yourself and being authentic. I'm so, I'm leaving this conversation feeling so inspired by you. Thank you. Oh, I'm so glad. I think there's something about hearing art,

even if it's a really sad song or the happiest song, like, whatever it is, you listen and if you just feel that they felt that, it transcends no matter how technically good or how simple the song is. Like, you just feel it. It, like, goes beyond anything. So amazing. It also goes to show how connected we all are, right? Like, all of the stuff that you're talking about,

I'm like, I know, literally know exactly what you mean. And it's just because I'm a creative person and I'm an artist and we're all going through so much of the same stuff all the time. But it feels like we so often feel like we're so different. And like there's a lot that's different between you and me. First of all being, you know, the 10 year age gap. You know, it's like we have a very different life in all of these ways. But it's like I totally feel like I see you and can meet you where you're at and understand

what you're talking about. And it's like, yeah, because we're all connected. And ought is a huge part of what does that. So thank you for being so candid and honest and sharing yourself with me today, Victor. I'm so blessed to be here with you. Too blessed to be stressed, babe. I'm just happy to be here. It's nice talking about art with people.

I'm always by myself drawing. So it's like, yeah, you make art too. Oh, cool. Well, I love your work, and I'm so grateful that we got to spend a little bit of time. Thank you so much for being yourself. We're so lucky to have you. Thank you. I want to say thank you to Victor again for joining me today. The way he is changing the art game

is no joke. It really goes to show how our experiences and self-expression can resonate far beyond our own world. Victor's maturity and thoughtfulness and spirit really, really resonated with me today and I'm so grateful to be sharing this experience with you guys. That's it for today's episode, but join me again next week when we talk about, wait for it, the art of drag. Oh yes, it's going to be a good one. So don't forget to join in on the conversation. I want to hear from you and know what you think of the podcast. Who do you think we should have on the show? How have you been using your creativity? Share your thoughts with me on socials or leave a rating and review for the podcast wherever you're listening. You can always find me on Instagram and Twitter at Betty Who and on TikTok

and YouTube at Betty Who music. Until next time. Unfiltered the JBL podcast is produced by IHartRadio and partnership with JBL. Our show is hosted by me, Betty Who. Our executive producer is Molly Sosha. Our EP of post-production is Matt Stillo. Our editor is Sierra Spreen. This episode was written and produced by Sierra Kaiser. Special thanks to our friends at JBL Initiative and Donna.