Internationally acclaimed artist Gal Yosef has spent the last decade building a reputation as one of contemporary art’s most recognizable visual storytellers. Now, the Israeli-born creator is taking his world-building ambitions far beyond gallery walls.

This week, Yosef officially unveiled Populart, a new entertainment IP company designed to merge original characters, premium collectibles, music, fashion, and storytelling into a single creative universe. Rather than functioning as another collectible brand, Populart positions itself as a long-term entertainment property centered around original characters that can live across multiple mediums.

The company’s first major collaboration is already generating attention: a partnership with global superstar J Balvin, with additional details expected in the coming weeks.

For Yosef, the launch represents the natural evolution of a career built on transforming imagination into tangible art.

Entirely self-taught, Yosef began experimenting with 3D design at just 12 years old before developing the hyperrealistic aesthetic that would become his signature. His work—known for blending nostalgic characters with emotional, often surreal storytelling—has earned an international following and collaborations with artists and brands including Justin Bieber, Steve Aoki, Nike, and Hôtel Plaza Athénée Paris.

His sculptures, paintings, and digital works have been exhibited internationally through Eden Gallery and have found homes in private collections around the world.

But Populart marks perhaps his most ambitious project yet.

Instead of creating one-off collaborations, Yosef is introducing an original cast of characters intended to become enduring entertainment properties. At the center of that universe is Galy, a dreamer whose limitless imagination serves as the foundation for an expanding world populated by characters with their own personalities, stories, and emotional identities.

“Populart began with a simple belief: no one should feel alone in what they feel. The world can be difficult, and imagination isn’t a way of escaping it—it’s a way of making sense of it together.” – Gal Yosef

That philosophy runs throughout the company’s vision. Rather than relying solely on collectible scarcity, Populart emphasizes emotional storytelling, with characters designed to connect across generations through animation, consumer products, premium collectibles, and future entertainment experiences.

Launching with J Balvin as the first collaborator is also a strategic first move.

The Grammy Award-winning artist has consistently embraced visual art and creative innovation throughout his career, making him a natural collaborator for a company that sits at the intersection of contemporary art and pop culture. While details surrounding the collaboration remain under wraps, fans can already join a waitlist HERE for early purchase access beginning August 11 ahead of the official release.

The partnership also signals Populart’s broader ambitions. By pairing original intellectual property with globally recognized cultural figures, Yosef aims to build a platform where artists, musicians, and brands collaborate not simply on merchandise, but on collectible works that exist as extensions of larger stories.

As the lines between entertainment, collectibles, fashion, and digital culture continue to blur, Populart enters the market with a distinctly creator-first approach—one rooted in original IP rather than licensed franchises.

With Yosef’s established reputation in contemporary art and a debut collaboration featuring one of music’s biggest global stars, Populart arrives with significant momentum. If the company’s vision unfolds as planned, this launch may be remembered less as the release of a collectible and more as the introduction of an entirely new entertainment universe.

“Galy, Pubu, and every character we create give form to emotions we all carry, even when we don’t know how to express them. I wanted to create a world anyone could enter, at any age and from anywhere, and recognize something of themselves. The characters may be different, but the humanity behind them is shared.” – Gal Yosef

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