“My mission is to doodle the world,” Cox says.
There, visitors join characters Mr and Mrs Doodle as they make their way to DoodleLand to stop Mr Doodle’s evil twin, Dr Scribble, from ridding the universe of doodles.
The artist’s goal is to create works that bring universal joy. “I want people to smile at the work,” he says. “It’s nice to create these characters that anyone from around the world can recognise … anyone from any walk of life can usually pick something within the drawing that they can see and understand.
“[It] can make them happy and bring some joy into their day and make them feel like a kid again.”
Ever since a video of Cox doodling the inside of a shop in London went viral in 2017, the artist has become a cult figure of sorts and has a global, loyal fan base.
Cox has commanded just as much attention among art buyers and collectors as he has on social media. In August 2020, a green-and-black canvas of his, Spring (2019), sold for 95 million yen (US$895,000) before fees at Tokyo Chuo Auction – 12 times its presale estimate – setting an auction record for the artist.
A year later, the 27 works that formed “Mr Doodle: Caravan Chaos” were sold at Christie’s Hong Kong auction house, with most beating their presale estimates.
His auction record remains unbroken and Cox’s popularity is as strong as ever. He has created limited-edition accessories with luxury brand Fendi and, in Macau, he recently debuted “Disney Art Collection by Mr Doodle” at the City of Dreams casino resort.
Gallerist Pearl Lam has exclusive global representation of Mr Doodle. To those who know her, the pairing comes across as odd – Lam built her career by representing Chinese and Asian contemporary artists and, by her own admission, she rarely does the same for young Western artists. But when she saw Cox’s work, she was immediately reminded of an Asian painting style.
Representing Mr Doodle is a way for her to introduce this art philosophy to a younger generation, and a way of leaning into how technology has changed the art world.
“All the traditional galleries like myself, people in the art world, we’re learning every day,” Lam says. “Whether we want to reject it or not, [social media] is pushed in your face.
“Of course, it is great to have academics and curators to guide you, but can we really reject what everybody is looking at?”
South Korean art collector Ji Hyuk-im, who runs a financial education company, has been collecting art for six years. He began adding Mr Doodle to his collection this year – so far, he has collected three paintings and 28 prints.
Ji is also set to be a sponsor for Mr Doodle’s coming exhibition at the Holburne Museum in Bath, England.
“I fell in love with Mr Doodle’s pieces because they have everything that I want from a painting – the colours, the stories and then the positive energy,” he says, adding that he enjoys collecting works with bright colours that exude happiness.
Although Cox is a British artist, the nature of his works means that they have worldwide appeal – especially in Asia. “In Asia, we like cute and colourful things that carry positive energy,” Ji says.
As with all things that become popular, there is the question of longevity – of whether Mr Doodle’s works will remain in demand once people move on to the next art sensation.
Lam is unconcerned.
“Everybody’s career, no matter if you’re an artist [or not], you have ups and downs. If you don’t go down, you never become better,” Lam says. “The problem is when artists give up.
“That’s the biggest problem – that is why for a long time I’ve refused to represent any younger artists. Because at one point, if it’s too frustrating, they give up.”
“I don’t think Sam will give up because he started drawing at age three, copying other cartoons at the age of five,” she adds. “I absolutely believe that, though he’s under 30, he will last.
“He has this great determination to become one of the masters, and what is great about him is, he really doesn’t care what people think.”
“Mr Doodle in Space”, Pearl Lam Galleries, 601-605 Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm. Until January 20, 2024. Registration is required. Please visit the gallery website for details.