Ponti Art Gallery is interested in buying and selling works
of art by this artist.
Marc Quinn Biography
Marc Quinn is a British contemporary visual artist, born on January 8, 1964, in London, England. He is widely recognized for his provocative and often controversial works that explore themes of existence, the human body, genetics, identity, and the relationship between art and science. Quinn's oeuvre is characterized by the use of a diverse range of materials, including blood, ice, marble, glass, lead, and even DNA, which he employs to create sculptures, installations, and paintings that challenge viewers' perceptions and provoke thought.
Quinn's early life was marked by a multicultural upbringing, with a French mother and a British father who was a physicist working at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures in Paris. This early exposure to scientific instruments and concepts had a profound influence on his later artistic practice. He attended Millfield, a private boarding school in Somerset, before studying history and history of art at Robinson College, Cambridge. After graduating, Quinn worked as an assistant to sculptor Barry Flanagan, which provided him with a foundational understanding of the medium of sculpture.
Quinn's career took a significant turn 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 garnered international attention and established Quinn as a key figure in the Young British Artists (YBAs) movement. This group of artists, which included Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, was known for their radical approach to art-making and their ability to capture the zeitgeist of the time.
Throughout the 1990s, Quinn's work continued to explore the body and its extremes. His series "Emotional Detox" consisted of seven sculptures made of lead and cast from his own body, each representing one of the seven deadly sins. In these works, Quinn's body is depicted as being torn apart and reconfigured, reflecting on themes of corporeality, decay, and preservation.
In the late 1990s, Quinn's focus shifted to include other individuals, leading to the creation of "The Complete Marbles" series. This body of work featured marble sculptures of individuals with amputations, challenging traditional notions of beauty and perfection. One of the most famous pieces from this series is "Alison Lapper Pregnant," which was displayed on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square and later became an iconic image associated with the 2012 Paralympics in London.
Quinn's interest in the intersection of art and science is evident in works such as "DNA Garden," which featured the DNA of various plant species combined with human gene codes, and "Evolution," a series of sculptures depicting human embryos at different stages of development. These works reflect on the implications of genetic modification and scientific advancement within our culture.
In addition to his sculptural work, Quinn is also known for his hyperrealist oil paintings of flowers and photorealist paintings of irises, which he creates using an airbrush. These paintings explore the eye as a unique identifier of individual identity and serve as a metaphor for the way we perceive the world.
Quinn's art has been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Tate Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, Fondazione Prada, and the Irish Museum of Modern Art. His work is part of several public and private collections and continues to engage audiences with its challenging themes and innovative use of materials.
Throughout his career, Marc Quinn has remained a provocative and influential figure in contemporary art. His work invites viewers to contemplate the human condition, the fragility of life, and the complex relationship between nature and culture. By pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms and materials, Quinn has created a body of work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant, reflecting on the shared experiences that define our existence.
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: