Although Beeple is now one of the most successful living artists in the world, like most innovators, he started out in a very different position. In the early 2000s he was a computer science student at Purdue University and experimented with making films in his spare time. He soon realised the medium wasn't for him: "I did not like any aspect of shooting things live because I did not have control over it. So I realised that I actually really like working on the computer because I had complete control." Keen to get his work out there, Mike started making visuals for bands and musicians which he gave out for free. His VJ loops soon gained traction, catapulting him into collaborations with the likes of Justin Bieber, Wiz Khalifa and Nicki Minaj. Beneath broken records and A-list names is the deep respect Mike holds for artists and fans in the digital community. His work is masterful, authentic and enthralling. The wild world of Beeple is a perfect mirror for our own.
Mike Winkelmann was born in 1981 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Today, he works from his home in Charleston, South Carolina, where he lives with his wife and two children. His parents and brother also live nearby.
