Creativity, Cuisine Converge at WMOA x SXSW
When the meal becomes the muse
A towering Whataburger bag begged for a photo op. A miniature motorcycle, painted orange and white, spun atop its display. A wall of table tents tempted visitors: Go Ahead. These table tents won’t steal themselves.
Steffany Bowling, decked out head-to-toe in Whataburger attire, couldn’t believe her eyes when she walked through the door at the Whataburger Museum of Art exhibit at South By Southwest. More than 200 pieces of Whataburger fan art beckoned her and other visitors to explore.
For Bowling, who drove from College Station with her family to see the exhibit, the art was a trip through cherished memories.
“It was always a place of gathering, and it's kind of where we would always end up at night with our friends."
Steffany fondly remembers falling in love with Whataburger when she used to get up early every Sunday to eat “Old Man Breakfast” with her grandpa.
Naturally, something that inspires as much love as Whataburger also inspires creativity, calling artists to channel their love into something they can share with the world.
“It’s incredible to see how this franchise has touched so many people across different cultures and places,” said Roxanne Mehdizadeh, one of the first fans lined up outside. “My favorite was Yellow Roses in a Whataburger Cup. I love the Texas flavors incorporated in each piece.”
For the creators who have been inspired to make Whataburger art, and the fans who came to appreciate it, it’s clear that Whataburger holds a special place in their hearts and memories.
Follow @thewmoa on Instagram to see more Whataburger-inspired art, and explore some of the featured artists and their work below.
Still Texas
Danny Pecha
“The mural that's painted on the seat, that was hand painted from a photograph of the Whataburger that's in front of my neighborhood. That's the one that I actually have gone to since I was a kid, and that's still the same one that I go to to this day.”
Dos Las Chicas
Mayra Zamora, Monica Garcia
"Whataburger has been a part of my life since I was a little girl, and now to be here is a literal dream come true. I don’t take this opportunity for granted. I love representing Whataburger."
-Mayra Zamora
WhataLuchador
Soy Empire
“We had a Whataburger in Mexico when I was growing up. I remember the bags had Whataguy and Addaboy on them, and as a kid I thought they were luchadors. So years later, I got this idea in my head."
Feeding Break
Raul Rene Gonzalez
“That’s something I always associate with Whataburger—that depiction of the everyday person who works. So I feel like my work needed to blend those two worlds together.”