SKE - Facing The Icon

"Facing The Icon" – Limited Edition (100 copies) - New 2026 Collection
Edition number: 06/100
Artist: SKE
Publisher: Atelier Montmartre Paris
Fine art paper 300 g – ISO A3 format – Signed, numbered – Certificate included

Here, SKE reworks Richard Orlinski’s famous red gorilla. An icon of power, massive, impressive. In front of him? Gaston. No muscles, no anger. Just a banana.

The face-off is absurd, almost funny. The gorilla clenches his fists, Gaston extends a hand. Brutal force meets quiet innocence. And suddenly, the tension becomes a smile.

With this reinterpretation, SKE plays with the symbols of power and the art market. The contemporary totem is defused by a simple, childish, deliberately offbeat gesture. No fight, no hero. Just a situation that makes you think while making you smile.

Urban strokes, drips, splashes and pop references anchor the work in the SKE universe: accessible, legible, but never trivial.

A piece that reworks an icon… without ever taking itself seriously.

Specifications:

• Limited edition to 100 copies
• Printed on premium 300 g art paper
• ISO A3 format, easy to frame
• Each copy signed and numbered by SKE
• Delivered with certificate of authenticity
• Secured shipping, reinforced packaging

“Facing The Icon.” is a vibrant, joyful piece, designed for collectors who love pop art, revisited comics, and works that tell a story.

A rare edition that will undoubtedly become a standout element of your collection.

- ARTIST BIO:
SKE is a self-taught French artist with a jack-of-all-trades approach who grew up in the culture of the 80s/90s, inspiring a large portion of his artistic work.

He continually explores new techniques: acrylic painting, collage, stenciling, graffiti, urban installations, and digital art. His dynamic, expressive compositions, often with a double meaning, fuse the raw energy of street art with the visual impact of pop art.

After an exceptional 2025, SKE’s market value has risen notably. Winner of the first prize in the Urban Master contest (2023), later named Breakthrough of the Year at the Color Jam Challenge (2025).
SKE was selected as “Artist of the Month” in October and also featured in an American art magazine, confirming his international recognition.

His works have already been exhibited in major venues in Europe, the United States, and Asia, cementing his place in the contemporary art scene. Parallel to this, SKE is making a name for himself in the digital art market, a major trend in the past two years, strengthening the appeal of his creations to collectors.

Icons of popular culture, bold graphics and textural play define a style that is now essential.

SKE is unquestionably an artist to watch, to start or enrich a collection with rising value.

Listed & Awarded Artist – Pop Art & Contemporary Street Art

AN ENVIRONMENT BETWEEN HERITAGE AND MODERNITY
SKE’s work sits within a prestigious lineage. His line shows the visual efficiency of Keith Haring and Andy Warhol, while incorporating the subversion of Banksy or pioneering Blek le Rat. His works bridge eras: they revisit the classics, not hesitating to reinterpret Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, Hokusai’s The Great Wave, or Picasso’s deconstructed forms to bring them into a modern urban aesthetic akin to Mr. Brainwash or Kaws.

POP CULTURE & NOSTALGIA
Drawing on the collective imagination, SKE manipulates icons from our childhood. He stages Disney’s universe with figures like Mickey or Pinocchio, and Scrooge McDuck’s symbolic greed. The influence of gaming, comics, and graphic novels is omnipresent: from Nintendo’s world and the legendary Game Boy, to Pokémon creatures (Pikachu, Charizard, Ash), and Marvel superheroes. SKE crystallizes these memories in the manner of Daniel Arsham or Takashi Murakami.

LUXE, HYPE & CONSUMER SOCIETY
In a style sometimes reminiscent of Alec Monopoly, the artist plays with codes of success and materialism. The Dollar symbol sits beside luxury and fashion logos. His canvases capture the “Hype” aesthetics: sneaker culture (Nike Air Jordan, Adidas, Off-White) and haute couture (Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Louboutin). He also integrates automotive adrenaline (Ferrari, Porsche, Bugatti, AMG) and precision watchmaking (Rolex, Tag Heuer), not forgetting mass-consumption icons like Coca-Cola. It is vibrant art, with textured finishes that evoke Jeff Koons’s glazed surfaces or the facets of Richard Orlinski.

This work is ideal for enriching a collection or bringing a dynamic touch to your interior.