From PhD to posters: How a semiotics expert turned academic theory into a global art business

"The idea that I could have an easily run business in 28 countries now around the world – the effortlessness of that international scope is by far one of the things that I love the best about working with Gelato."

Charles Leech, Founder, RecombinantCulture

What sets RecombinantCulture apart isn't just the artwork – it's the academic rigor behind each poster. Charles applies his doctoral expertise in semiotics to create what he calls "narrative congruence" between music and visual art.

"If you're a music fan and you stumble across my site and see that poster, then what's supposed to happen is you're supposed to instantly recognize that the poster gets the song right – it captures some essence of it either in a funny or serious way," he explains.

This approach combines the emotional power of music with carefully chosen vintage imagery, creating something entirely new.

"You look at the poster and you see the art in a slightly different way because the music has informed the visual, and the visual has informed the art. Out of that combination has come something new, something that didn't exist before."

Charles started Recombinant Culture during COVID. "I was desperate for a creative outlet and sense of personal control and self-autonomy that I was severely lacking in my day job at that time," he shares. Since launching, he has created posters for 900 songs, ranging from mainstream hits to "deep 1980s new wave cuts that nobody has heard of." He has built a catalog of over 13,000 products and achieved over 4,000 sales across 28 countries.

Charles's journey to Gelato wasn't immediate – it was born from the harsh realities of do-it-yourself fulfillment. "The first few orders that I sold, I did all of the printing, packaging, and shipping myself," he recalls. "I brought the file to a local printer down the street, walked to the post office, then spent an outrageous amount of money on a cardboard tube and postage. It was so expensive." 

When a tech journalist friend suggested print-on-demand, Charles had never heard of the concept. But the transition was a revelation – suddenly, Charles could focus on what he did best: creating meaningful art connections rather than wrestling with logistics and shipping costs. "I'm a Gelato loyalist," Charles says.

Gelato’s global network of production hubs has been transformative for Charles's business. "The idea that I could have an easily run business in 28 countries now around the world – the effortlessness of that international scope is by far one of the things that I love the best about working with Gelato," he notes

This global reach has led to unexpected moments of validation. "One of the highlights I've had is when the actual original artists who have done the song have bought my posters and then emailed me to say, 'These are terrific, well done.' To know that my interpretation of their songs are hanging up in their homes is a huge thrill."

The wall art business faces unique challenges, particularly during uncertain economic times. Charles has noticed this downturn firsthand, since art purchases are typically viewed as non-essential. 

For stability that allows him to pursue his creative passion without financial pressure, Charles manages his creative business alongside a full-time career as a qualitative market researcher - proving that side hustles can thrive with proper time management and passion-driven focus.

While maintaining realistic expectations about his niche market, Charles harbors bigger dreams, and is working towards turning RecombinantCulture into a full-time endeavour with the potential of becoming a sustainable retirement income stream. 

Charles's recommendations for newcomers are practical and experience-driven:

Build big from the start

"When you start building their POD business, build it with as much ambition as you possibly can. The more groundwork you lay with uploading products and connecting products in the early stages, the easier it is to scale later on."

Think global

"Don't ignore the international markets. Leverage the fact that Gelato has production hubs everywhere. My website says ‘Free fast shipping - everywhere, no minimum order, all the time, forever.’ Layer your shipping fees in so that your customer never has to worry about it. There should never be anybody who abandons a cart because they've suddenly discovered that there's a shipping fee."

As Charles continues balancing his day job with his artistic passion, RecombinantCulture represents more than just a business – it's the practical application of academic study in culture and meaning-making.

"20 years later, I've come back full circle to my PhD thesis," he reflects. "I'm taking music and combining it with visual images, and out of that combination has come something new and different."

For music fans seeking wall art that truly understands their favorite songs, Charles has created something unprecedented: artwork that bridges the gap between deep musical knowledge and visual storytelling, now available globally through Gelato's print-on-demand network.

RecombinantCulture specializes in music-inspired poster art that combines academic semiotics expertise with vintage imagery.