David Nicolas (Daru)

Pop Art and Street Art Visionary

David Nicolas, born in 1976, is a French painter and street artist known under the pseudonym Daru. His work merges the energy of street art with the bold visual language of pop culture, creating a distinctive satirical style that reflects the spirit of our time.

In 2025, Daru continues to captivate the international art scene with works such as Duck of the Year and Saved by God—vivid, ironic reinterpretations of Donald Duck transformed into caricatures of Donald Trump. Through these pieces, he blends political commentary with familiar cartoon imagery, using humor and color to provoke both laughter and reflection.

Daru first gained recognition for his large-scale murals and graffiti works, most notably Le Chat in Clermont-Ferrand, created during the 2018 Such’Act event. His art often reimagines pop culture icons with wit and satire—turning figures like Snow White into social media influencers or Donald Duck into the fashion legend “Karl Donaldfeld.”

A self-taught artist, Daru began his career in street art before gradually shifting to new mediums. In 2019, he started working on recycled wooden pallets, transforming them into textured canvases that extend his artistic reach beyond city walls. This evolution made his work more accessible while maintaining its raw, urban authenticity.

His creations have been exhibited internationally, including in France and the United States, where they have drawn both public and critical acclaim. Daru currently lives and works in the French countryside, continually exploring new artistic frontiers.

At the heart of his practice lies a dual mission: to bring joy to viewers while raising awareness of pressing social issues. Drawing inspiration from pop art and urban culture, he uses recognizable cultural icons to expose themes of greed, consumerism, and the excesses of social media. His art fuses irony, symbolism, and vibrant color to deliver serious messages through an entertaining lens.

Daru’s works have been featured in major exhibitions, including Paris Fashion Week (2022) and the Art3F art fairs in Lyon and Monaco. His pieces are represented in galleries across Europe and the United States, securing his reputation as one of the distinctive voices in contemporary pop and street art today.

​