PRODIGY’S MAXIM RELEASES AN NFT SERIES
IN COLLABORATION
WITH WLS (EUGUNE RIECANSKY)
TO ACCOMPANY HIS LATEST MIXED MEDIA SERIES “HOPE”
VIEW THE NFT’S : HERE
“We are in times of uncertainty, but I believe the answer to our problems is the four-letter word, ‘love’.” - MAXIM
Multi-faceted UK based musician and mixed media artist Maxim has launched a series NFT’s in collaboration with digital artist WLS (Eugene Riecansky) best known for his work with Prodigy, NIN, HIM, Madonna, Pixar and more. Maxim, who in addition to being part of the hard-hitting and chart-topping group Prodigy is an acclaimed mixed-media artist. His most recent exhibit is a series called "Hope," a hybrid of sculpture, music, and film, which is available to view and experience online (on his website) and was on display at London’s new 99 Projects gallery.
The series is a powerful and poignant collaboration with artist Dan Pearce, born out of the pandemic entitled “Hope” The series features 50 limited edition sculptures, hand-painted colors with ten special editions, which have Swarovski Crystals added by Dan and Maxim. The two artists spent over a year in lockdown creating this ambitious, multi-platform collaboration, which is inspired by the “Hope” that everybody is clinging onto, as we gradually ease out of the devastation wreaked by Coronavirus. The sculpture is based on Pearce’s son - wearing a gas mask and preparing to pull the pin on a clear, resin grenade, containing a heart, which represents the vaccine and the hope that will help us navigate our post-lockdown worlds. The grenade is a recurring symbol and theme in Maxim’s art, which includes highly sought-after paintings, prints, and sculptures created during his 18 years in the art world. The pieces demonstrate Dan’s skills in 3D modeling and Maxim’s experience floating objects in resin.
Each piece also contains bespoke memory cards housing an exclusive 4 track Hope EP from Maxim, that will only be available via the sculptures until the end of the summer (August) where he will release the new music out wide via streaming services. In addition to the EP the exhibit has an accompanying short film also entitled Hope starring Pearce’s son that tells the story of the sculpture. The film touches on the mental health implications the virus has had on children, showing the 11-year-old son Jackson living through the pandemic. It also references the pandemic’s impact on homelessness - with a moving cameo from Maxim, playing a person living on the streets - as well as austerity, with touching food bank scenes. The soundtrack to the film is also titled Hope is one of the four songs on the EP being packaged with the pieces.
The physical exhibit opened on May 20 and in addition to being on display at 99 Projects, one sculpture will also be donated to NHS Charities Together, one to the young people’s mental health charity, YoungMinds, and one to the homeless charity Shelter, to raise funds for those most affected by the COVID, the themes of which are explored in the moving film.
The resin grenades containing the hearts have been repurposed into an NFT multiple edition series NFT’s. The series will be dropped on Rarible platform on Friday, the 18th of June. The edition consists of 16 various grenades available in 1/1 and ⅕ copies. NFTs are unique as each has a special sound cover. Where most grenades cause destruction these grenades spread love and tap into a different energy source. The animations are accompanied by original music compositions created and produced by Maxim.
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Art was originally a means of winding down between tours with the chart-topping band, The Prodigy, but Maxim has cemented his reputation as an acclaimed, mixed media artist and designer. Grenades carried on the breeze by a raft of red balloons; clown-faced butterflies brandishing Samurai swords, and gun-toting cats are just a few of the surreal fantasy worlds created by Maxim, using everything from spray paint, resin, acrylic, ceramics, and bronze to objects like bullets, blades, and pills.
