Face to Face

Marc Quinn’s eight life-sized sculptural self-portraits were created during a challenging period in his life. In the early 1990’s, the artist was processing the transformation brought on by the end of his alcohol addiction, and spent hours visiting the Messerschmidt sculpture ‘The Strong Smell’ at the V&A in London. Enamoured by the 18th century artist’s expressive depictions, Quinn was inspired to translate into sculpture his physical and psychological torment of detoxification. Using lead and wax, Quinn turned his feelings into physical expressions.

Capturing fleeting emotions in facial expressions and gestures through sculpture connects Marc Quinn and Franz Xaver Messerschmidt across centuries.

More info: https://www.belvedere.at/en/marc-quinn

Picture: Marc Quinn, Emotional Detox II, 1995 (copyright Marc Quinn Studio) and Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Character Head No.33, 1777/1783 (copyright Belvedere, Wien), Image courtesy of Marc Quinn studio