IMBUE - ARTIST
THE MAD PROFESSOR OF ART!
Have you ever wondered what an artist would do with £1 million in shredded cash? Or how to steal a statue from The Louvre? Or even how to make a Chocolate Machine Gun? Well, Contemporary Artist and Mad Professor of Art, Imbue talks about all of that and more in the latest episode of the Creative Nowhere land Podcast. Imbue and his work have been featured in The Guardian, Art Net and in Forbes Magazine. But, to really understand it, you need to see it for yourself! And when you see it, you'll understand why I call him the Mad Professor of Art. From starting out with stickers pasted on Brighton streets to now casting million-pound skulls in shredded cash, Imbue's creative journey is a fascinating exploration of pop art, consumerism, and blending the familiar with the subversive.
IT STARTS WITH STREET ART!
Imbue's artistic origins stem not from formal training but from experimentation. He has always considered himself a maker and a builder. This hands-on approach continued when he became captivated by the emerging street art movement. Finding it liberating that you could just come up with an idea, put it out there and you didn't need any permission from anyone.
One of Imbue's earliest provocative works involved repurposing a sweet vending machine to display what appeared to be bags of cocaine and heroin, then secretly installing it on Brighton Pier to record people's reactions. This guerrilla approach epitomised his early artistic ethos—creating without permission, generating unexpected reactions, and commenting on society through familiar but subverted imagery.
EVOLUTION AND ART AS A BUSINESS!
Imbue’s commercial journey began small, with some borrowed money from his brother to produce some limited edition screen prints. With local galleries beginning to stock and sell his work, Imbue kept pushing and promoting and trying to build a sustainable creative practice. His artistic vision consistently evolves! And, always the maker and builder, with new technologies Imbue was able to push his ideas much further. 3D printing allowed Imbue to start to create more sculptural pieces. Often revolving around repurposing familiar imagery—from religious icons to corporate logos—and creating unexpected juxtapositions that provoke thought.
Imbue’s business acumen has proven as impressive as his creative vision. He has worked hard for 10 years to build sales through email newsletters, even before social media was readily availably to showcase work. Also creating the "24-Hour Art Club" offering limited-time mystery editions, and developed innovative concepts like hiding numbered bronze rabbits around the world for fans to discover. These approaches have built a loyal following and allowed him to maintain independence from traditional gallery representation.
Imbue's 2023 "Death and Taxes" exhibition in London's financial district showcased his most ambitious work yet, including full-size human skulls cast in shredded currency and an installation featuring a cash machine continuously pumping out blood. The cash machine piece, titled "Bleeding Me Dry," took a trip to Glastonbury and has also been featured in a group exhibition at Saatchi Gallery, marking another milestone in his rising career.
Looking toward the future, Imbue continues expanding his technological capabilities, incorporating other advanced techniques to realise increasingly complex visions. His upcoming exhibition will explore themes of technology, featuring circuit board artwork and a two-meter 3D-printed statue created from a digital scan of a museum piece—that’s how you steal a statue from The Louvre.
INSIDE THE LAB!
While recording the podcast, I was lucky enough to be invited into the ‘Mad Professors’ Lab. Imbue’s studio is a treasure trove of gadgets and gismos that help him create his unique work. 3D printers, UV printers, Casting machines and a whole host of stuff I’d never heard of. But, not only that, Imbue has filled his studio space with and an eclectic collection of inspirational objects, books, art and all sorts of other paraphernalia to constantly keep himself inspired and thinking of new ideas. Inputs help create the outputs! Oh, and there’s also a basketball machine! Every good studio should have one!
IMBUE ARTIST - CNL PODCAST
I’m a fan of Imbue’s work and I’ve got a few of his pieces. The skull picture, in the title portrait, that lives on my wall at home. So, as a fan, I’m very grateful for him agreeing to be a guest on the Creative Nowhere Land Podcast for his first long form interview.
Imbue continues crafting work that challenges perceptions, repurposes the familiar, and builds surprising connections that can comment on society as a whole. Whether it’s the process of making and creating the work, or turning that love of experimenting and building into a very successful art career, there's so much interesting and inspiring information in this episode. So make sure you dive down the rabbit hole and into the imaginative world of Imbue!
Check out the links below to explore Imbue's work as you listen to the Creative Nowhere Land Podcast.
IMBUE WEBSITE: https://imbuesource.com/
IMBUE INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/imbue/
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