Marc Quinn is a British contemporary visual artist, born on January 8, 1964, in London, England. His work spans across various mediums including sculpture, installation, and painting, and he is known for his exploration of what it means to be human in the world today. Quinn's subjects delve into the body, genetics, identity, environment, and the media, often using a wide array of materials ranging from blood, bread, and flowers to marble and stainless steel. Quinn's early life was marked by a blend of cultures and intellectual stimulation. He was born to a French mother and a British father, a physicist working at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures in Paris. This international background provided Quinn with a unique perspective from an early age. He spent his formative years in Paris, where he developed an early fascination with the scientific instruments in his father's laboratory, particularly atomic clocks. He received his education at Millfield, a private boarding school in Somerset, and later studied history and the history of art at Robinson College, Cambridge, graduating in 1986. After university, Quinn worked as an assistant to Welsh sculptor Barry Flanagan, where he honed his skills in casting and other sculptural techniques. Quinn's career took off in the early 1990s when he became the first artist to be represented by gallerist Jay Jopling. His first exhibition with Jopling in 1991 featured "Self," a frozen self-portrait made out of nine pints of the artist's blood, which established Quinn's reputation for using unconventional materials and for his radical approach to art. This piece was the first in an ongoing series where Quinn would create a new cast of his head in his own frozen blood every five years, reflecting on the passage of time and his own aging process. Throughout the 1990s, Quinn, along with several peers, was identified as part of the 'Young British Artists' movement, a group of artists known for their innovative and often controversial approach to art. His work during this period was concerned with issues of corporeality, decay, and preservation, experimenting with organic and degradable materials. In the 2000s, Quinn's focus shifted to the use of more traditional materials like marble, bronze, and concrete, exploring the body and its extremes through the lens of classical and urban materials. His works during this period included "The Complete Marbles" (1999–2005), "Alison Lapper Pregnant" (2004), and "Evolution" (2005–2009). Quinn's "Alison Lapper Pregnant" is particularly notable. It is a monumental marble sculpture of artist Alison Lapper, who was born without arms and with shortened legs. The sculpture occupied the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square in 2005, drawing significant public attention and debate. Quinn's work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at prestigious institutions such as Sir John Soane's Museum, the Tate Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Fondation Beyeler, Fondazione Prada, and South London Gallery. His works are included in collections across the globe, including the Tate (London), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Venice), Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam), and the Centre Pompidou (Paris). Quinn's sculptures, paintings, and drawings have explored various themes, including mankind's relationship with nature, ideas and ideals of beauty, and the construction of modern social and cultural values. He has consistently interrogated the legacy of Greek and Roman art and its role in constructing the western aesthetic sensorium. His "All About Love" statues, life-casts that explore his relationship with his partner, Jenny Bastet, are a testament to his fascination with the classical past and his ability to invite viewers to look at ancient models anew. Quinn's work has also examined the modern through ancient models of visual representation, challenging perceived binaries between nature and culture, form and meaning, surface and depth, and body and mind. His art is a continuous exploration of the human condition, pushing the boundaries of traditional sculpture and questioning the nature of existence and identity. Marc Quinn continues to live and work in London, where he remains a significant figure in contemporary art, known for his thought-provoking and often provocative works that challenge viewers' perceptions of art and life.

Marc Quinn Quotes and Sales of Works

Ponti Art Gallery selects and deals with paintings by the artist. Upon request, we provide free estimates and evaluations, communicate prices, quotations, and current market values.

If you are interested in BUYING or SELLING works by the artist, contact us immediately.

If you wish to sell or receive an evaluation of the works:

Send us a frontal photo of the painting, one of the back, and one of the signature. Also, indicate the dimensions of the work. Inform us about the purchase origin of the work and any kind of available documentation (purchase receipts, certificates of authenticity, publications). One of our operators will respond to you on the same day. We guarantee maximum confidentiality and extreme professionalism.

If you wish to purchase works by the painter: Contact us and let us know your request. We will inform you about the available works. We also offer the possibility to subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, through which you will be informed at the beginning of each month about the latest acquisitions of the art gallery.

You can send us pictures of the work:

• by mail –>  [email protected]
• by WhatsApp –> +39 3205747749