The numerous sculptures on display at the Pompeii excavations are part of Philip Colbert\u2019s major exhibition<\/strong>, Pop Mythology<\/em>, on view from July 27 through November<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An invasion of about thirty large lobster-shaped sculptures <\/strong>confronts one of the most important sites in world archaeology. It\u2019s an attempt by the great British artist to create a dialogue between two eras, two languages, and two seemingly very distant ways of expressing the human imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Born in Scotland and based in London, Philip Colbert<\/strong> is one of the most recognizable contemporary artists on the international Pop Art scene. His visual universe revolves around a recurring character, the Lobster<\/strong>, which has become his artistic alter ego and signature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His works blend painting, sculpture, and art history through a hyper-pop, comic-book style that reinterprets masterpieces from art history and classical mythology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Works explore eternal conflict, mortality, and consumerism, creating a playful bridge between antiquity and the contemporary world. <\/strong>Hidden within his ironic and direct style are references to art history and deeper themes, such as mortality, conflict, and humanity\u2019s relationship with time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The choice of the lobster is no accident. Colbert has transformed this animal into a true pop icon, but his interest also stems from its long symbolic history in art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is precisely this aspect that makes his encounter with Pompeii particularly significant: the artist does not bring an image completely foreign to its past to the ancient city, but rather revives a symbol that already belongs, in some way, to the figurative culture of antiquity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The connection between Colbert and Pompeii did not begin with this exhibition. One of the key starting points is, in fact, a famous mosaic from the House of the Faun in Pompeii,<\/strong> now housed in the collections of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. The mosaic in question depicts a marine scene in which a lobster, a moray eel, and an octopus are shown engaged in a sort of dramatic struggle.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It was precisely this motif that inspired Colbert to create his Pompeii Series, <\/strong>in which the marine world becomes a metaphor for a timeless struggle. The theme of conflict, present in the ancient mosaic, is thus reinterpreted through the artist\u2019s contemporary language.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This reference is particularly interesting because it shows that Colbert\u2019s Pop Art does not merely make superficial allusions to antiquity. His work begins with an archaeological image, observes it, reworks it, and transforms it into a new visual narrative.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The lobster thus becomes a bridge between the past and the present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, thanks to the immediate impact of his images, Colbert\u2019s contemporary art can draw even those who do not normally visit museums and exhibitions to the ruins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His monumental, ironic, and easily recognizable sculptures can serve as a gateway for children, families, and younger visitors, sparking their curiosity about the archaeological heritage.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut who is Philip Colbert?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Lobster and Pompeii: A Connection That Goes Way Back<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Colbert](\"https:\/\/seepompeii.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Colbert-2-895x1024.jpeg\")
<\/figure>Where to Find Colbert’s Works Outside of Pompeii<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n