Born in Dessau, Germany, Imi Knoebel studied at the Werkkunstschule in Darmstadt before attending the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. He was a student of Joseph Beuys, a period that significantly influenced his conceptual approach to art-making and his departure from traditional figurative representation.

His practice is defined by a rigorous exploration of color, light, and space, often employing industrial materials and the primary palette of red, yellow, and blue. His work frequently engages with the legacy of Russian Constructivism and the Bauhaus movement, manifesting in complex, layered wall-based constructions and large-scale installations.

Knoebel continues to live and work in Düsseldorf, maintaining a prolific output that has solidified his position within the canon of contemporary German minimalism. His work is held in numerous international museum collections and remains a subject of ongoing scholarly interest regarding the evolution of abstract painting.