
Marc Quinn
Untitled 04, 2013
“The etymology of ‘iris’ is derived from the Greek word for ‘rainbow,’” Marc Quinn once explained. …

Iconic eye image by Marc Quinn, reimagined in this vibrant "Eye of History" series

Young British Artist Marc Quinn creates provocative sculptural portraits composed of organic materials, such as in his ongoing series of “Blood Head” self portraits, in which a cast of his head is made with over nine pints of his own frozen blood. Quinn also fabricates sculptures using more traditional media such as bronze, often depicting contorted bodies or people with unusual physical characteristics—amputees, or those who have undergone sex-change surgery. Quinn has also examined the implications of genetic modification and scientific advancement. His 2001 work DNA Garden features the DNA of 75 plant species and two humans, re-staging the conditions of the Garden of Eden through scientific means.

“The etymology of ‘iris’ is derived from the Greek word for ‘rainbow,’” Marc Quinn once explained. “And the colors [of the iris], even in quite subtle, dark colors, there is a kind of celebration of individuality.” In 2009, Quinn began creating large-scale, hyperrealistic paintings of the human eye, capturing how the …

Iconic eye image by Marc Quinn, reimagined in this vibrant "Eye of History" series

Young British Artist Marc Quinn creates provocative sculptural portraits composed of organic materials, such as in his ongoing series of “Blood Head” self portraits, in which a cast of his head is made with over nine pints of his own frozen blood. Quinn also fabricates sculptures using more traditional media such as bronze, often depicting contorted bodies or people with unusual physical characteristics—amputees, or those who have undergone sex-change surgery. Quinn has also examined the implications of genetic modification and scientific advancement. His 2001 work DNA Garden features the DNA of 75 plant species and two humans, re-staging the conditions of the Garden of Eden through scientific means.