His most recognisable work is Security Theatre, the life-size interactive paper sculpture served as the entrance to Banksy’s apocalyptic dystopian theme park, Dismaland in 2015. The artist’s paintings explore issues of consumerism and advertising, shedding critical light on the modern consumer culture and the impact of mass media on one’s life. His mechanically animated two-mouth image of a happy consumer became part of the Hollywood skyline in 1998 for two years as a feature in the Absolut Vodka billboard series. The neon billboard was Barminski’s manifestation of the absurdity of the modern mentality of “I buy, therefore I am”. Barminski’s work can be found at the groundbreaking street art exhibition space BEYOND THE STREETS in Los Angeles and New York.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Barminski attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he was a frequent contributor of satirical cartoons to the student newspaper. Barminski has worked with other cultural outlets, most notably as the director of Baz Luhrmann’s award-winning music video, Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) in 1999. The video’s success then led him to work with various artists, including Gnarls Barkley, Kid Cudi and Death Cab for Cutie. Besides the arts, Barminski is also a lecturer in the Department of Film and Television at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), focusing on the research in digital projection mapping. The artist currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California.
