February 20, 2025 · By Selina The blog girl

What Inspires Us: Q&A with the House of Gog Founders

Following up on our recent blog post, let's dive deeper into the story behind House of Gog with a short Q&A featuring our founders. We'll explore what inspires them, their philosophy and their vision for the future.

A short little recap for the new members of our community. As some of you know already, House of Gog was founded in late 2019 by two passionate collectors and art lovers, P-A L’Espérance and Hugues Martel. They crossed paths through their work at Ubisoft, where they collaborated on collectible projects for world-class video games, such as Assassins' Creed, Far Cry, Watch Dogs, The Division and many more.

At the time, P-A was part of Ubisoft's transmedia team (consumer products) as an operations manager, while Hugues was working as a third-party art director, designer and producer for Ubisoft’s collector’s editions and figurines through his company, Pure Arts.

From the very beginning, a strong bond was formed between the two collectors - one that has only grown stronger over time, evolving into not only a successful business partnership but a lasting friendship beyond their professional ties.

A 7-minute read about their vision, inspiration and philosophy

P-A, with so many established collectibles companies already in the market, what inspired you to start House of Gog? What made you believe there was room for another?

[P-A L'Espérance]: As a collector myself, I’ve always had a passion for collecting cool stuff. Like most collectors, my early focus was on superheroes and pop culture - things like Star Wars, DC and more. But as I got older, my tastes began to evolve and I found myself drawn to more niche collectibles, such as Japanese Sofubi (vinyl), art toys, indie toy makers and garage kits.

Looking at the market, it became clear that something was missing - an area that hadn’t been fully explored. While the statue market was understandably dominated by superheroes and popular IPs, this gap also presented an opportunity. So, together with my business partner, Hugues, we set out to create a brand dedicated to producing truly unique collectibles, bringing something fresh and distinctive to collectors and filling that void.

We wanted to use the same production methods as the big toy and statue companies, but rather than relying on familiar IPs or navigating corporate pressures, we chose to focus on original art - preserving our creative independence in the process. Just as art toys redefined the toy industry, we aimed to bring that same artistic vision to collectible statues. And hope we did!

What is your philosophy and vision for the future for House of Gog?

[P-A L'Espérance]: Like Hugues, I have a deep love for art and artists, and I take great pleasure in helping them reach new heights by showcasing their incredible work through different mediums, such as collectible statues.

As a collector myself, I’m also thrilled by the opportunity to create some of the most exciting and unique collectibles out there - bringing something fresh and different to the community. Every release fills me with anticipation and I can’t wait to see how collectors respond - hoping they experience the same excitement and awe that we do. We always strive to keep them on their toes - not just with the artists we collaborate with, but through the overall curation of the House of Gog

Looking to the future, we’ll continue following our muse and seeing where the journey takes us. We have been blessed with the quality of our collaborating artists so far and our new selection of artists is just as incredible as our current one. We’re eager to introduce them to collectors.

I also tend to have a positive outlook on life and that extends to our industry as well. I see many exciting things ahead. While technologies like AI-generated art and 3D printing will bring significant changes, they’re also creating countless new opportunities. Artists worldwide are already finding innovative ways to use these tools and as they become more integrated into the art world, they’ll bring fresh ideas and possibilities that, in my view, will benefit everyone.

With the continued support of our collectors and by embracing the innovations of the future, we can only begin to fathom all the exciting things that lie ahead for House of Gog.

What are your favorite toy lines and brands?

[P-A L'Espérance]: There are so many!

To name a few - the defunct World of 3A, Underverse by Ashley Wood and its sub brands, one of the coolest in the game and Acid Rain World by Kit Lau, an incredible toy line.

1000toys which had one of the best articulated platforms in the industry - I was a big fan of their 1/12 lines. Unbox Industries, co-owned by the great Dan Willett, produces some amazing vinyl toys. Healeymade makes very cool bootlegs and Plastic Cell (Danny Tran) is one of the nicest and most talented indie statuette makers and sculptors out there.

I’m also a huge fan of Punk Drunkers, the absolute coolest Japanese Sofubi and apparel brand. COARSE stands out with their sleek, unique art - they were definitely an inspiration for us when we started House of Gog.

There are tons of indie creators I admire, like Video Vomit’s Bad Omen Toys, Ark Custom, Shirahama, The God Beast (Marty Hansen) and James Groman, to name a few. And of course, my beloved Toy Pizza with their Knights of the Slice (built on the iconic Glyos platform) by Jesse DeStasio. I can’t forget the Japanese Sofubi masters like realxhead and Atom A. Amaresura.

The list is literally endless.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

[P-A L'Espérance]: There are so many and I follow hundreds of them daily. I wish I could name them all, but unfortunately, I can’t list everyone here - apologies as you all deserve a mention!

Of course, our artists Pascal Blanché and Skinner hold a special place in my heart, but as a true art lover, there’s always room for more.

I’m a huge fan of French sci-fi pioneers like Philippe Druillet and Moebius (Jean Giraud) and their incredible graphic novels (La Nuit, Salammbô, and L’Incal, to name a few). I also admire heroic fantasy legends like Frazetta, the art of Simon Bisley, Philippe Caza and Chris Foss’ iconic spaceships. Roger Dean’s work has always been inspiring, Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, the dark and extremely powerful universe of polish artist Zdzisław Beksiński, the art of Brom, as well as the Japanese masters like Katsuya Terada and Takayuki Takeya.

Amongst other contemporary artists, I love the work of Paul Komoda, Erwin Papa, Jeff Simpson, and the incredible traditional sculptors Simon Lee (spiderzero) and Alban Ficat. The graphic design and art direction of Montreal-based Brent Ashe, the psychedelic art of Alex Grey and one of Hugues’ favorites, Bill Sienkiewicz. Even on the more “neoclassical” side, I have deep admiration for Picasso, Klimt, Dalí, Kandinsky, as well as Impressionists like Monet and Gauguin. I could not forget one of my most beloved artists, Riopelle , a true French-Canadian monument.

Like I said, there are way too many to name in just one blog post.

So Hugues, we have heard from P-A, but what’s your philosophy behind House of Gog and business in general?

[Hugues Martel]: We're running a business and need to ensure its sustainability, which does influence our goals and ambitions to some extent. But above all, my true passion has always been supporting artists.

With my company Pure Arts, the aim has always been to promote art and provide a platform for artists to thrive. Our team at Pure Arts is full of incredibly talented sculptors, painters and designers who get to showcase their skills and make a living doing what they love.

House of Gog is the perfect platform to experiment ground breaking concepts and ideas by creating collectibles based on artists' unique visual worlds - something that, until now, has mostly been reserved for large IPs and corporations.

Though the journey hasn’t been without its challenges - what business ever is? - it’s been incredibly fulfilling for everyone involved, including myself.

Where do you see House of Gog in 5-10 years?

[Hugues Martel]: We will continue growing as both a brand and a company, gaining recognition among collectors like us. As opportunities arise, we’ll collaborate with even more talented artists, expanding our creative reach. While we’re not a mainstream brand - and our appeal will always remain somewhat niche - we believe that as collectors' tastes evolve, more people will discover and appreciate what House of Gog has to offer. We will remain a go-to reference in the industry - a cool, edgy brand that provides a unique and bold alternative for art-loving collectors.

As technology advances and becomes more accessible - especially in 3D printing - there may come a time in the (near) future when collectors can create their own collectibles at home, making our work, in its current form, obsolete. But by then, we might be retired (haha) or, at the very least, will have anticipated these changes and evolved to stay ahead of this revolution.

Not many people know this, but you're a sculptor yourself and a passionate admirer of classical sculpture. With that in mind, who are some of your favorite sculptors from the past?

[Hugues Martel]: While we often highlight contemporary artists, it's important to remember that everything we create today is built on the foundation of those who came before us. I've always been deeply interested in art history and as a sculptor, I have a profound appreciation for the masters of the past.

Some of my favorites include French-Canadian artist Suzor-Coté (Marc-Aurèle de Foy), one of Quebec’s most respected sculptors, as well as Louis-Philippe Hébert, another renowned Québécois artist. I’m also a huge admirer of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, one of my absolute favorites and Antonin Mercié, who created many iconic monuments in Paris. Of course, there's Michelangelo and Rodin, household names even beyond the art world and Benvenuto Cellini, the famed 16th-century Italian goldsmith and sculptor. Another fascinating figure is Égide Rombaux, a Belgian Symbolist sculptor. And the list goes on!

If you're interested in the history of sculpture, I highly encourage you to explore these names. Their work, some created centuries before the digital age, is truly mind-blowing.

What are some of the must-haves in your collection?

[Hugues Martel]: My collection is diverse, but there is a strong inclination for statues and kits. So I would say, amongst my all time favorites are sculptors like Takayuki Takeya, Randy Bowen, The Shiflett Brothers and all the old school garage kits guys like Billike, Volks, Kaiyodo, Max Factory, Fewture Models, Horizon, Monster in Motion, etc. But I am also a toy collector in a more conventional sense, so I have an extensive collection of HotToys, Sideshow, Queen Studios, Infinity Studios and many many more.

I have literally thousands of toys and statues in my collection, collected over the span of 40 years, which I hope to feature one day and make available to the public somehow!