Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham

I follow Imbue on Instagram and enjoy his thought-provoking artwork. Over the last few weeks, my Instagram feed went wild with notifications about his forthcoming exhibition. The images circulating included the Mona Lisa as viewed on mobile phones and a horse constructed from Amazon boxes. The exhibition was called ‘Lost All Meaning’, so I headed down to Digbeth to see the artwork. I do enjoy contemporary art. Having lived through the glam rock, punk and new romantic music movements, the album covers were always treasured. Imbue’s work captures much of that excitement and brings it right up to date.

Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
The exhibition space for the Imbue artwork.

I arrived at the building on Floodgate Street and was immediately drawn to the walls where Imbue had arranged his work. A food and drinks machine was set up to dispense “faith healing” drugs. I bought a pack from the machine dispenser, and inside the blister pack, the tablets were arranged in the shape of a cross. This religious theme ran throughout the exhibition, with pieces such as The Fall of Man (UV print on a used MacBook lid) and McChurch, which, when cut out, resembles a McDonald’s Happy Meal box. The 100 Phones exhibit depicting the Mona Lisa was remarkable, though it makes me feel I really must go and see the actual Mona Lisa now!

Leonardo da Vinci
Faithhealers make a cross.
Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
Mc Church which if brought allows you the option to but out and make a box.
Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
Close up of the 100 phones Mona Lisa.

Many of the prints were mounted on the wall and arranged in a 3-by-3 grid, including Leonardo da Vinci–inspired printed circuit boards with images of the Mona Lisa, Salvator Mundi, and Saint John the BaptistKids with Guns used shooting targets with added Mickey Mouse ears, a powerful indictment of the world’s current gun problems. Nearby was a bullet encased in a bottle, designed to be used in a 3D-printed gun.

Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
Leonardo da Vinci series
Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
Shooting targets for kids.
Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
A bullet for a 3D printed gun.

The theme of 3D printing ran through the exhibition, with the interplay of technology and everyday life presented not only to shock but also to make you think.

Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
Liquidising Alexa which I have to admit is such a good idea.

Two large exhibits dominated the centre of the warehouse. The horse made from Amazon boxes must have stood 12 metres tall, as shown in the photos. Quite a few home deliveries were needed to construct this horse. To my mind, it resembled a Trojan Horse. Very fitting, as we bring Amazon boxes into our homes without a moment’s thought.

Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
The Amazon Boxes Horse.

The other large exhibit was a veiled statue that Imbue had secretly scanned during a visit to the Louvre. The replica of Antonio Corradini’s Femme Voilée rotated in front of a bank of 3D printers. Small white statues were being printed and stored in a box, ready to be sold. This work raised many questions: how is it possible to scan such famous statues and then make them accessible to all? Did Imbue “steal” the statue from the Louvre, or is this simply how art will be shared in the future?

Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
The veiled lady in front of a bank of 3D printing machines.
Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
A reflection of the veiled lady in the 3D printing window.
Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
The one that I want.

There were many other exhibits, too many to describe in detail. There are several accounts of the exhibition on the Internet each featuring their favoured artwork.

Personally, my favourite work was DNArk. I am currently watching a cheesy but entertaining TV series on the Syfy channel called The Ark, where the last of humanity is sent into space carrying the DNA of the animal world. Imbue’s artwork consists of a transparent boat with multiple rows of red vials representing DNA samples. It left me wondering: how are we going to preserve the world’s DNA if we keep destroying the environment?

Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
DNArk

The bonus of the visit was meeting Imbue himself and taking his picture. He was open to conversation and happy to discuss his artwork and the ideas behind it. The exhibition only ran for a few days, but I will be on the lookout for his future work. Imbue has created artwork that resonates with today’s technology, cleverly weaving in references to past masters while exploring how we interact with the modern world. The role of religion seems to have morphed into technology, as people reinvent the world around them.

Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
The artist, Imbue.

As a photographer, I appreciated how the exhibition was staged against the backdrop of an old industrial engineering workshop. The natural light from the ceiling windows and the texture of the walls provided the perfect setting for the artwork. As always, I used my X100VI for most of the pictures, whilst favouring my iPhone’s wide-angle lens for the overall views.

Lost all meaning by Imbue, Digbeth, Birmingham
Lost all Meaning.

I found this exhibition space interesting as last year I was at the same place for the final day of the Floodgate an entertainment complex. As ever Digbeth changes and I have added my blog link below.

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St. Andrew, Birmingham Heritage week, September 2024

This cathedral is a Birmingham hidden gem.  I have walked past the building several times and always wondered what the place was like inside.  Located on Summer Hill Terrace, the cathedral sits on the edge of the Jewellery quarter.  Summer Hill is an elevated part of Birmingham and when you stand by the cathedral you are overlooking a  busy dual carriageway that leads into Birmingham.  From here you look over the National Indoor Arena with a good view of the new shiny skyscrapers that are being built in the city centre.  The streets around the Cathedral are very narrow with a one-way system.  The church has access to parking and leaving my car I made my way to the entrance.  On this Saturday night, the service of Vespers was taking place.  Vespers is a liturgy of evening prayer.  Sunset is when the liturgical day starts.  The hymns that are sung introduce the day’s themes.   This opportunity of visiting the Cathedral to partake in the Vesper’s service was made possible through the Birmingham Heritage Week and invitation of the Church Committee of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St. Andrew.    

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St. Andrew, Birmingham Heritage week, September 2024
The beautiful symmetry of the Cathedral.

The rain was coming down and walking through the entrance, there was a warm light flowing outwards welcoming you to the Church.  The elders of the cathedral had taken over the church in 1957 and the original stonework with repeating arches is impressive.  Overlaying this architecture was an abundance of riches with extensive chandeliers and religious icons both on the walls and at various entrances. The alter was the focus of a large collection of paintings and icons.   The Greek Orthodox congregation were very friendly and the singing was beautiful.

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St. Andrew, Birmingham Heritage week, September 2024
An upward view of the large Chandelier
Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St. Andrew, Birmingham Heritage week, September 2024
The beautiful arches and stonework.

Before I knew it the beautiful rendition of the Vespers service was over. One of the Church committee then explained the history of the cathedral and pointed out particular features of interest. Then we were invited to look around the cathedral and then to join everyone for refreshments in the Cathedral hall. The cathedral was full and it was difficult to get good pictures with people moving around. I went for refreshments and then made my way out. To my delight the church happened to be quiet and peaceful and I was able to move around and take pictures with my iPhone.  The symmetry of the church caught my imagination and the iPhone is good at working in low light. I particularly enjoyed viewing the icons and the many pictures around the Cathedral. The evening was very memorable and this blog is my attempt to convey the evening through text and pictures.

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St. Andrew, Birmingham Heritage week, September 2024
A stunning icon of the Madonna and child.

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Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St. Andrew, Birmingham Heritage week, September 2024
Details of the alter.
Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St. Andrew, Birmingham Heritage week, September 2024
The dome of the Cathedral

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Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St. Andrew, Birmingham Heritage week, September 2024
The outside of the cathedral from Summer Hill Road

This is the link to the Birmingham Heritage week.

I have included a blog on another notable Birmingham Church for you to read.