Philip Colbert is headlining Waddesdon Manor’s Summer Festival, Colbert’s vibrant sculpture Lobster Flower (reclining) has taken pride of place in the spectacular grounds surrounding the French-style château. Additional stainless-steel sculpture, Lobster Sunflowers and Lobster Flower, also feature on the South Front overlooking the Victorian Parterre.
Colbert’s latest creations adorn the historic gardens, now lush with vibrant summer greenery. At the heart of the display, Lobster Flower (reclining)—Colbert’s artistic persona The Lobster lounges disguised in a surreal flower costume. Channelling the playful and bold pop spirit of Philip’s work, blending pop surrealism with botanical fantasy—will take centre stage, adding a whimsical, Alice in Wonderland-like charm to the grounds. Visitors can also take home a piece of Colbert’s playful pop-art world with exclusive merchandise available in the shop, including teacups, prints, stickers, tea towels, and t-shirts—each blending his imaginative style with Waddesdon’s rich heritage and natural beauty.
Waddesdon Manor’s summer festival takes inspiration from Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild’s famous late 19th-century ‘Saturday to Monday’ house parties. The opulent gatherings were so legendary that they even caught the attention of Queen Victoria in 1890.
Set within the historic gardens of Waddesdon Manor, the series of sculptures depicting lobsters in disguise as flowers create a striking contrast between contemporary pop art and classical architecture, showcasing Colbert’s enduring commitment to making art that is both playful and widely accessible. Colbert’s surreal twist on the flower symbol as a powerful, universal metaphor of beauty, renewal and nature’s ongoing cycles, delves into themes of rebirth and transformation, with the lobster — a creature known for moulting its shell—symbolising regeneration and change.
In 2023, this dialogue was epitomised by acclaimed Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, who unveiled Wedding Cake a 12-metre-high, three-tiered sculptural pavilion resembling a pastel-coloured wedding cake. Blending sculpture with architectural folly, the immersive artwork combined elements of pâtisserie, design, and architecture, its tiled surface shimmering in icing-like hues of pale pink, green, and blue
“Philip Colbert brings a burst of joyful, colour to Waddesdon for Summerfest with his anarchic alter-ego Lobster character.”
Pippa Shirley, Director of Waddesdon
Philip Colbert, Lobster Takeover 19th – 6th July 2025 Waddesdon Manor @philipcolbert
About the artist
Born in Scotland and now based in London, Philip Colbert is often dubbed the “godson of Andy Warhol.” He has garnered a global following through his signature cartoon lobster persona and striking hyper-pop history paintings. His work boldly investigates the patterns of modern digital culture while engaging in a rich dialogue with art history. After earning an MA in Philosophy from the University of St Andrews, Colbert’s art has gained international recognition in galleries and museums around the world for its dynamic and innovative approach to both painting and pop theory. Building on the legacy of early Pop artists like Richard Hamilton, Roy Lichtenstein, and James Rosenquist, his paintings weave together themes from classical art and contemporary theory with symbols of mass consumer culture—all seen through the lens of his lobster alter ego. He has been celebrated as a modern pop art visionary by prominent figures such as Charles Saatchi and Simon de Pury.
