“In
music you are always aiming for perfection, you’re never 100% happy. Art is
much more liberating than that; even mistakes can be beautiful.”
(Maxim)
One third of British band The Prodigy, Maxim is known for a
fierce style of art that explores the complex nature of humanity. His art
intertwines positive and negative elements of society with an unexpected and
deeply personal convergence of the shocking and the gentle. This can be seen
in his latest sculpture, Rebel with the Paws, which, he says, “was created
with the mind set of a cat that stood up to the wrongs in society but what he
did was spread love.”
Maxim is influenced by his love of
the surreal, whether that is movies and books or the work of other artists
such as Dali and Bosch. Working in a range of mixed media, he gives each
artwork a uniquely expressive edge, and by placing objects in an unexpected
context he creates art which is both thought-provoking and emotionally
challenging. The final decision on its meaning is always open to
interpretation.
However, while his work frequently examines
the darker side of life, Maxim himself believes passionately in positive
outcomes, and aims to represent the uprising of the oppressed and the triumph
of good over evil. A clear example of this came when he collaborated with
British artist Dan Pearce over the 2020 lockdown on a sculpture entitled Hope
to send out into a world that had been thrown into emotional
turmoil.
Since 2012 Maxim has supported a wide range of
charities that are close to his heart, donating artworks to support these
positive outcomes. He has raised substantial finds for research into Breast
Cancer, BT ArtBox for ChildLine, Chain of Hope (cardiac care for children around
the world), the NHS, Shelter and mental health charity Young
Minds.
Maxim has been with the Prodigy since its inception
in 1990 and has toured all seven of their studio albums extensively around
the world, picking up numerous awards along the way including MTV and NME
accolades recognising their unique and innovative music as well as their
chart success. He turned to art in 2004, but choosing to keep his career as a
musician and artist separate he exhibited his work under the moniker MM. He
has become a highly sought-after and much respected visual artist and has met
with success at solo shows in London and L.A.
“Art is
another expression for me. When I’m not doing music, I’m doing art. When I’m
not doing art I’m doing music. That’s my life fulfilled.”
