ARTIST SHOWS AT THE OCEANOGRAPHIC MUSEUM OF MONACO
A major exhibition of works by Marc Quinn will go on show at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco from 12 May to 15 October 2012. “The Littoral Zone” exhibition includes Sculptures, paintings and installations by the artist which will be shown throughout the museum, alongside its collection of marine specimens and underwater fauna, setting up a fascinating dialogue between art and science.
Over 60 works by Marc Quinn will be shown both inside and outside the museum including new works such as the The Origin of the World(Cassis madagascariensis) Indian Ocean, 310, a huge 3 metre bronze shell, new underwater paintings from the series The Zone and the unveiling of the latest version of Marc Quinn’s Self sculptures, Self 2011. Other pieces in the show include Planet, a 10m bronze baby and a series of burning sculptures which thanks to new technology, can burn with real fire inside the museum without a flue. The relationship between art and science is explored both in the museum collection and the artists work.
Built on the side of the mythical Rock of Monaco, the Oceanographic Museum was designed as a palace dedicated to the sea, displaying the results of the oceanographic expeditions carried out by its founder, Prince Albert I of Monaco – great grandfather of the Sovereign Prince Albert II of Monaco. It aims to educate visitors about the life of the sea and to raise awareness about its fragility. The museum has a large collection of marine specimens and houses an outstanding aquarium, bringing together more than 4,000 species of fish and invertebrates. Its Shark Lagoon, a giant 400,000 litre tank, displays the extraordinary diversity of the coral reef.
Marc Quinn was born in London in 1964. He studied history and the history of art at the University of Cambridge (1982-85) and began working as a sculptor in 1984. Marc Quinn is represented by the White Cube Gallery in London and by Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac in Salzburg and Paris. His works of art can be found in many major museums and private collections worldwide.
His solo exhibitions include: Tate Gallery, London (1995), Kunstverein Hannover (1999), Fondazione Prada, Milan (2000), Tate Liverpool (2002), Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin (2004), Groninger Museum, Groningen (2006) and MACRO, Rome (2006), DHC/ART Fondation pour l’art contemporain, Montréal (2007),the Fondation Beyeler, Basel (2009) and Kistefos-Museet in Norway. (2011) He lives and works in London.