Meet Iddrisu M. Reed | Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Iddrisu M. Reed and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Iddrisu, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It was all an experiment. I’m primarily a 3D artist who creates concept art. Mid-last year, around July, I created a series of artworks with a singular theme, and I thought that was it, until I decided to explore posters with the artworks. They looked so good as posters, I decided to create mockups of the designs on clothing. After sending it to a few friends, they expressed interest and encouraged me to produce it commercially, so I did. That’s how the business started.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Everything about my art is mostly a self-reflection, or a reflection of what happens in society that is somehow related to me. I feel like art should resonate with the artist first before it finds its own audience, so every piece I make has a place in my heart before it finds its place in the world.

What sets me apart is my ability to convey my feelings unapologetically through my art.. I’m not afraid to be laughed at or to be cringe, it’s my superpower. I put out whatever comes into my mind, however it comes into my mind, without the need for external validation, and it’s something that a few artists lack.

I’m most proud of “Love, Reed,” my clothing brand, probably because it’s a way my audience gets to appreciate my art physically, or intimately, or personally. Inn today’s fast paced digital world, likes and comments are fleeting, they take seconds to double tap or comment, but when someone spends hard earned money on a shirt, or a piece i worked on and proudly wears it like a badge of honor, not just because it’s Reed’s shirt, but because they relate to the art, it makes me feel fulfilled as an artist, because its a secondary goal, to find other people who resonate with my art in their own way.

It hasn’t been easy getting to where I am professionally, and I feel like I have a long way to go from here. Coming from Ghana, it’s hard to pursue a professional career in something that deviates from the norm, which is “go to school, get a 9-5 and work for the rest of your life”.So there’s no support from parents, just siblings who share the same “delusion” with you.

A few lessons I learned along the way
– No one is coming to save you.
– The toughest battle you’ll ever face is with yourself.
– An indisciplined mind will take you nowhere; build discipline, and you can do anything

I want the world to know that I can be anything I want to be, if I want to be it. And the same applies to them. There’s no no cap to realising an imagination. As long as it can be imagined, it can be materialized.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m not that much of an outie person, but if my best friend were visiting, let’s see. We can hit the beach first for some peace. The soothing sound of the waves is great for starting a trip, a few drinks on the beach, nothing alcoholic.

Then we can visit an art gallery like Nubuke Studio or Gallery 1957. If you’re my best friend, I’m guessing you’ll be an art enthusiast like me, so we’ll talk about art the whole day, and there will be exhibitions happening there.

There’s an arcade at Spintex Mall. Great games, nice people, we can have a pizza after that, since it’s a mall, there are a few pizza shops around.

Ghud park. It’s an all-around park that has a lot of fun activities, bike riding, skating, and a whole day can be spent there without getting bored. We’ll probably get actual food there, some jollof & chicken. A soft drink and ice cream for dessert.

And there’s the Aburi botanical gardens to climax the trip. It’s a botanical garden filled with a lot of fun activities, canopy walkways, zip lining, among others.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My elder brother, Zarouk, has been very supportive from the start in every way. And my friends Shawal, Aminu & Nathaniel. They’re the best companions I could ever ask for.

Website: https://imreed.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i.mreed

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@i_mreed?si=Vj51GaXsYf1N0R2_