French illustrator Tom Haugomat works from a Parisian attic studio where his daughter's toys live alongside his faceless, mysterious figures. A glimpse into the home life behind viral Instagram art.
06. A Playground Built With His Daughter, Tom Haugomat
Written by Pinzle editor Jeon Ha-young (www.pinzle.net)
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Pinzle is Korea's only art subscription service, introducing one artist and their work to the world every month. We created this series to share what the lives and spaces of the artists we love look like—and to inspire everyone building their own creative spaces.
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Some places spark a peculiar kind of wonder just by existing. Where works are born that make you pause in thought, or catch your breath in admiration. Called studios, ateliers, workshops—the artist's space. Time seems to slow down there. Even small moments feel like they could turn into inspiration. What do the spaces of artists making waves on the global art scene actually look like?
Tom Haugomat, a Paris-born illustrator, is beloved worldwide through Instagram and Pinterest—a 21st-century artist through and through. After studying animation and illustration at Gobelins, one of France's top art schools alongside ENSAD Angoulême and La Poudrière, he now works as a freelance illustrator. He's known for a mysterious visual language: figures with no facial features, leaving space for viewers to read in their own stories.
Tom Haugomat was born and raised in Paris—and he still lives there. Look up from his window and the sky feels close enough to touch. A wooden staircase in one corner of the living room leads to a small but cozy attic tucked under a slanted roof. Top floor. That's his home.
More than anything else, you notice the traces of a young child. A tiny, adorable chair. Crayon drawings hung next to works by emerging artists. A toy house with a red roof and cheerful yellow walls. The unmistakable presence of his young daughter throughout the apartment makes it clear: she takes up a big part of Tom Haugomat's everyday life.
For someone who says he's happy with just a pen and paper, drawing time with his daughter is the most precious thing. Just moments ago they were horsing around, teasing each other—but now, in front of blank paper, they turn serious. His pencil case, a treasure chest overflowing with markers and pens, is wide open in front of her.
His young daughter picks up a pen in her small hand. The giggle in her plump cheeks and bright eyes fades as she sinks into her drawing—looking exactly like her dad. Little by little, postcard-sized paper fills with color. Side by side in the same space, they each build their own world.
Even their concentration looks the same. Across from them, a gray-white fireplace. Not something you see much in Korea, but instead of a hearth it's crammed with twine, tape, toys, and colorful paper boxes—more storage closet than fireplace. The sight made me smile. And also think: isn't this what a real artist does? Not using things only as intended, but reimagining them based on need.
Your home is your most intimate space—so it resembles you most. Until now, we've known Tom Haugomat through his work: an artist carving out his own aesthetic. But meeting him at home, in his own space, he's a dad enjoying what he loves most with his daughter. In that sense, his home is also a playground they're building together. Paris, the city of unbounded romance. I can't help but wonder: what kind of person will his daughter become, growing up in Tom Haugomat's home?
Everyone enjoys books and movies these days, but art still feels distant and difficult. If you know how a creator sees the world before encountering their work, doesn't it land much richer than just looking at an image? Pinzle, an art subscription service, introduces one artist each month with that in mind. We visit artists making waves on the global art scene, document their lifestyles through video and magazines, and produce their selected works as large-format artworks. We want to bring art closer to people who thought it wasn't for them—or couldn't afford it.
<The Cave> captures Tom Haugomat's signature style completely. Unusually, instead of the typical cave view—looking into darkness from the outside—he shows the view from inside looking out. Maybe for the traveler in the painting, the scarier space isn't the dark cave, but what lies outside. Everything is vivid, but too vast. The landscape keeps getting obscured by the jagged cave entrance, impossible to predict how it unfolds. But to keep traveling through life, you can't just stay inside. Maybe that's why the traveler's back looks so lonely. What story do you read in this piece?
[Series Index]
(Tokyo Edition) 2018. 08 A Humble Home, Banni Takuo 2018. 09 The Most Japanese Tatami, Machiyama Kotaro 2018. 10 A Master's Workshop, Kiuchi Tatsuro
(Paris Edition) 2018. 11 Filled With Love, Séverin Millet 2018. 12 A Cozy Nest, Vincent Mahé 2019. 01 A Playground Built With His Daughter, Tom Haugomat 2019. 02 Hip & Trendy, Atelier Bingo
(Berlin Edition) 2019. 03 Bethanien Museum, the Wellspring of Inspiration, Michela Picchi 2019. 04 Smoke-Filled, Guillaume Kashima 2019. 05 Berlin University of the Arts, Carmen Reina 2019. 06 Form and Negative Space, Clemens Behr
