April 2025 – IMPREINT interview by Joaquim A. Neto
It was an exceptionally sunny April day in London when I met with the artist behind IMPREINT art to discuss his new project, Entartete Kunst. What better place to have this conversation than the unique bar located near Walker’s Court in Soho, London?
Entartete Kunst was the name of one of the most infamous episodes in 20th-century art history, during which the Nazis condemned modernist artworks that the artist chose to revisit at this particular moment we are living in. For IMPREINT, the concept of Entartete Kunst signifies more than just an art historical event. It symbolises systemic oppression, censorship, and the manipulation of public perception, which persists today. In his words, “I wanted to reclaim the space, to take what has been condemned and reimagine it through a contemporary lens. In doing so, I highlight how the power structures defining art, beauty, and morality are often arbitrary and ideological.”
Entartete Kunst #120
Entartete Kunst #622
Launched in 2024, IMPREINT has released the first thousand images of the Entartete Kunst collection out of a total of ten thousand artworks, commemorating the 87th anniversary of the original exhibition’s opening in Munich in 1937. As we speak, another thousand exquisite images are being released, keeping the conversation alive while learning from audiences about the impact of each image on the art scene.
IMPREINT states, “In the past, I’ve worked on collections where, during the creation process, I realised they warranted a longer dialogue—works that needed space to unfold and be absorbed over time. Entartete Kunst is no different. I am still exploring the best way to guide this dialogue so it can have the impact it deserves, as I don’t claim to hold the answers on this topic and remain open to see where it leads.”
“I am still exploring the best way to guide this dialogue so it can have the impact it deserves, as I don’t claim to hold the answers on this topic and remain open to see where it leads.”
Having adopted a reminiscent style inspired by the ‘Magic Squares’ of Paul Klee, one of the many vilified artists by the Nazi regime who was labelled as primitive, nonsensical, and harmful, IMPREINT fosters a dialogue between the past and present. He sees an unparalleled sense of freedom, form, expression, and infinite imagination in Klee’s art.
Entartete Kunst #4451
Entartete Kunst #7183
“By using this visual language, I aimed to filter explicit images through a new lens, one that distances itself from voyeurism and instead allows for contemplation. The pixelation process is central to this. It acts as both an aesthetic tool and a conceptual shield – transforming explicit content into abstract mosaics that render the original imagery unrecognisable yet still evocative. This way, the works are neither censored nor confrontational but rather reconstructed as universally accessible forms.”
Entartete Kunst was presented at the Vanitas exhibition, simultaneously launching a new “Save me.” workshop series related to Entartete Kunst artworks – “Magic Squares”.
IMPREINT sees it as an act of reclamation. “The past cannot be undone, but it can be reinterpreted. The images I engage with are deeply disturbing in their original form. By reshaping them through pixelation, I aim to strip away their banality and offer a new perspective, one that acknowledges despair but also allows space for renewal. The pixelation is not a means of hiding but of reframing, inviting the viewer to fill in the gaps with their own imagination rather than confronting them with direct representation.”
“Save me.” workshops are a continual project that the artist has run in parallel with some of his central body of work since 2013 in various countries. The project aims to foster creativity and connection among youth through art.
Magic Squares workshop. London 2024
As IMPREINT highlights, “Children see the world with fresh, untainted eyes. ” The children participating in the workshops are invited to create their own mosaics from scratch, learning about abstraction and composition. “The workshop has been designed with simplicity in mind to ensure it is accessible to children everywhere, whether it’s a small group or an entire school. They design and colour their squares, taking inspiration from the concepts of pixelation and reinterpretation. This approach fosters positive curiosity, empowering children to view the world through a lens of exploration rather than restriction,” says IMPREINT.
Entartete Kunst pieces possess a strong conceptual element regarding their existence in the world, particularly how they will be sold and owned as digital commodities. I asked him to explain the concept more clearly, and here is his answer:
“As an artist, I don’t limit myself to specific materials or platforms. The digital space felt like an accessible first step, an initial impact that could reach a broad audience online, whether as NFTs or another format. The next layer, of course, is the physical piece. The digital space offers new possibilities for ownership, perception, and impermanence. Each piece exists first as a digital commodity, and once acquired, the collector can access the physical photograph, which is known only to me—acting as a kind of ticket to the artist’s paint palette.
Once sold, I renounce any visual records or data tied to it, allowing the owner of the photographic piece to enter the artist’s psyche, potentially evoking a similar emotional response. The idea is to convey the fragility of memory and the ephemeral nature of existence. It’s a response to the idea of art being labelled, controlled, or even erased.
In a way, the collector becomes the guardian of a visual secret.”
Magic Squares workshop. Guelma, Algeria. 2024
This certainly raises questions about the responsibility of the viewer and the collector. IMPREINT sees them as collaborators in the work.
“Art is never a one-way experience. By choosing to own a piece of this collection, the collector is entitled to participate in its history. They inherit not just an image but a burden, a legacy, and a personal engagement with the past. Their decision to display it, hide it, or even destroy it becomes part of the artwork’s evolving narrative,” he says.
I first started following IMPREINT a couple of years ago after responding to an Eventbrite invitation for one of his projects. It was the silent auction for his series, ‘En plain air,’ in which he presents thought-provoking written texts on cardboard, usually displayed around the city, with everyday scenes as a backdrop. I haven’t stopped following his fascinating projects since and can’t wait to see how far the Entartete Kunst collection will still amaze its viewers.
Entartete Kunst #4783
You can see more about Entartete Kunst – IMPREINT project and many other works from the artist at his website: www.impreint.com
