Today we’d like to introduce you to Max Bennett
Hi Max, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my creative journey in high school. In 11th grade, I made an artwork for my mother’s birthday, and that moment shifted everything for me. I had never considered art as a serious path before, but creating that piece unlocked something I couldn’t ignore. From there, I threw myself into it, constantly experimenting and developing my skills.
At the same time, I was studying law in Australia, balancing that with my growing art career. During this period, I created TACKY! and Walk of Shame, two series that gained significant attention. My work quickly reached collectors, including celebrities, and led to collaborations with investment groups like The Kimberly Syndicate. I was also staging guerrilla-style installations in major cities, pushing my art beyond traditional gallery spaces.
Eventually, I left law behind and moved to Paris after receiving a scholarship to Parsons. That time was pivotal—I expanded my practice beyond drawing, incorporating performance art, fashion, and conceptual work. My creative world grew as I surrounded myself with artists, dancers, designers, and performers, realizing that collaboration was just as important as individual expression.
That shift naturally led me deeper into performance art. I recognized that storytelling, physicality, and presence were central to everything I was drawn to, whether through visual art or live performance. Over the past year, I’ve been intensely exploring performance as a medium, refining my craft, and immersing myself in the process.
Right now, I’m focused on merging my artistic instincts with performance art, creating work that feels bold, immersive, and boundary-pushing. For me, it’s all about transformation—whether through a character, an artwork, or an experience. I don’t see my work as separate disciplines but as different ways of approaching the same thing: storytelling, risk-taking, and pushing creative boundaries.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all—it’s been anything but smooth. But I think that’s what has shaped my work and given it depth.
Early on, one of the biggest challenges was convincing the people around me that pursuing a creative career was a viable path. I was raised with the expectation of doing something professional, which is why I initially went into law. At the same time, I was already building a career as an artist, working insane hours, managing commissions, and trying to prove that this wasn’t just a hobby. Balancing that with law school was exhausting, and eventually, I realized I had to make a choice.
Financial instability has also been a constant challenge. Unlike a traditional job, being an artist means there’s no guaranteed paycheck. My income fluctuates depending on projects, exhibitions, and collectors, which can be unpredictable. I’ve had times where I was making more money than I ever expected, and other times where I was completely broke, questioning everything. It forces you to be resourceful and constantly push forward, no matter what.
I have an obsessive work ethic, but maintaining structure and focus has been a challenge. There have been times where I would work 20-hour days, burning myself out to the point where I couldn’t function. Learning how to manage that—how to work intensely without self-destructing—has been a process.
Despite all of that, I wouldn’t trade this path for anything. Every challenge has shaped my work and my perspective. If everything had been easy, I don’t think I would have taken the creative risks that have defined my career. The struggle is part of the story.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work across multiple disciplines, but at the core, I see myself as a visual artist and performance artist. My work explores themes of identity, power, imperfection, and transformation, often blending hyperrealism with conceptual and performative elements.
I’m best known for my hyper-realistic colored pencil drawings, particularly my series TACKY! and Walk of Shame, which deconstruct ideas of celebrity, status, and human vulnerability. Walk of Shame reimagined celebrity mugshots as meticulously hand-drawn portraits, transforming public moments of disgrace into something more intimate and human. That series took on a life of its own—I staged guerrilla-style installations across New York and LA, placing my posters in iconic locations. One of those installations even led to a run-in with the police, who were shocked to find out the images weren’t real mugshots but actually hand-drawn artworks. Moments like that remind me why I create—to challenge perception, to disrupt, to make people look twice.
Beyond drawing, my work has evolved into a more multimodal, performative practice. One of the projects that shaped this transition was Lucarne, a series of drawings and paintings of Parisian windows and the lives unfolding behind them. I was fascinated by the idea of observation—how windows serve as both barriers and frames for intimate moments. This series became an exploration of solitude, voyeurism, and connection, capturing fleeting glimpses of people in private spaces.
One of the most personal works within Lucarne was Games for One, a short film and performance piece that expanded on these themes. The performance played with repetition, isolation, and the rituals of creation, exploring what it means to be both seen and unseen. It was a pivotal moment in my practice, pushing me deeper into performance art and the intersection between visual storytelling and lived experience.
What sets my work apart is its boldness and precision. I have an obsessive attention to detail, whether it’s in the exacting realism of my drawings or the layered conceptual depth of my projects. But beyond technical skill, I think what really defines my work is its fearlessness—I take risks, whether that’s in subject matter, execution, or how and where I choose to display my work.
As for what I’m most proud of? Honestly, it’s the fact that I’ve built this career entirely on my own terms. I’ve taken unconventional routes, staged my own exhibitions, worked outside the gallery system, and made a name for myself in ways that don’t follow a traditional blueprint. That independence, that ability to carve out my own space in the industry, is something I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Absolutely. The COVID-19 crisis forced me to rethink everything—how I work, how I engage with an audience, and how to adapt when things fall apart.
My solo debut exhibition, TACKY!, had been in the works for months. It was meant to be a bold statement, a full-scale launch of my work into the public sphere. But just two days after opening, it was shut down due to COVID. That experience was a hard lesson in unpredictability—realizing that no matter how much you plan, external forces can still take control.
At first, it was devastating. But in hindsight, it pushed me in a direction I might not have explored otherwise. I had to rethink how I shared my work, moving away from traditional gallery spaces and embracing more independent, guerrilla-style exhibitions. That’s how projects like Walk of Shame developed—rather than waiting for spaces to reopen, I took my work directly to the streets, installing it in public spaces where it could live outside the constraints of institutions.
The pandemic also reinforced the importance of adaptability and self-sufficiency. I couldn’t rely on galleries, events, or physical spaces to define my career. I had to build my own systems—using social media, direct sales, and alternative methods of exhibiting. That mindset has shaped how I approach my career to this day.
Another major lesson was the power of isolation in the creative process. During lockdown, I had no choice but to be alone with my work. That period of solitude forced me to develop discipline, explore new ideas, and refine my process in a way that I probably wouldn’t have if the world had stayed open. It made me more intentional about what I create and why.
Looking back, COVID disrupted everything, but it also forced me to be fearless, independent, and resourceful—qualities that continue to define my work.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/maxbennnettt
- Other: https://TikTok.com/maxbennnett
Image Credits
Personal photo – Max on set for upcoming work
Photographer – James Bee
Additional Images; Pink Argyle Diamond Drawing, Lucarne window drawing, Lucarne window sculpture, David Dobrik with commissioned artworks, Max at TACKY! Debut exhibition in 2021, Max performing inside window for ‘Games for One’ short film, Max drawing ‘Games for One’ artwork based on film.
