The British artist Marc Quinn gives his all to create stunning artworks. His works are the result of blood, sweat and tears, literally. The former flatmate of Damien Hirst (yep, the artist who had a shark killed to preserve it in formaldehyde for the sake of art) is apparently not less crazy than the most famous taxidermist in the world. With his art that is considered innovative and controversial, Marc Quinn made a name for himself. While many people will probably think of his works as a free ticket into mental hospital, his fans celebrate him as a luminary of modern art.
Marc Quinn’s main art piece is a bust that represents himself. Accordingly it is given the name “Self”. Although the bust depicts a human head, it appears anything but lively. Instead it radiates a kind of eerie und unsettling aura, as Quinn’s “Self” looks as if he is sleeping or dead. The dark red color of the sculpture rounds off the dark and sinister character of this impressive artwork because it certainly reminds the beholder of blood. No wonder because the bust actually is made of blood. 4,5l of blood to be precise, coming straight from the veins of the artist himself. The body of a human adult itself is filled with 4,5l of blood on average, which is why Quinn took this amount over the time span of 5 months.
The sculpture was formed with the help of a casting mould and is presented in a container made of Plexiglas.
Self is probably one of the most bizarre and most outrageous depictions of human nature. At the same time, it is one of the most intimate artworks ever created.
Image ©: marcquinn.com
