LONDON.- This winter, independent charity
The Art Fund, in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, presents two 'Artist in Conversation' events with acclaimed artists Marc Quinn and Jake and Dinos Chapman. The artists will appear in conversation at the National Portrait Gallery with Tim Marlow, art historian, broadcaster and Director of Exhibitions at White Cube.
On November 12, Marc Quinn will talk to Tim Marlow about his innovative works including "Self" (2006), recently acquired for, and currently on display at, the National Portrait Gallery with help from a £100,000 grant from The Art Fund. A self-portrait cast of artist Marc Quinn's head, "Self" is made from his own blood and then frozen. Fourth in a series of "Blood Heads" which Quinn updates every five years to chart his own ageing, Self encapsulates the artists fascination for science and the human form, and his daring use of diverse materials.
Famous for their subversive projects exploring politics, religion and morality, Jake and Dinos Chapman will discuss their work with Tim Marlow on 10 December. Their projects include "The Chapman Family Collection" (2002) a work highlighting issues of imperialism and globalization. Acquired for the nation with help from The Art Fund and displayed at Tate Britains 2009 Classified exhibition, it features pseudo African artefacts which on closer inspection are covered in McDonalds logos.
In 2008, the artists presented an exhibition at White Cube Masons Yard entitled "If Hitler Had Been a Hippy How Happy Would We Be," which featured a critically acclaimed re-working of their remorseless, intricate and utterly compelling vision of Hell alongside 13 watercolors by Adolf Hitler which the artists had acquired, amended and subverted.
Director of Exhibitions at White Cube, Tim Marlow also writes and broadcasts on art. Recently, he has presented arts programs on Sky Arts and Channel 5. From 1991 to 1998 he presented BBC Radio 4s Kaleidoscope, for which he won a Sony Award. From 2002 to 2008 he presented the arts program Culture Shock for the BBC World Service. In 1993 he founded "Tate: The Art Magazine," of which he was editor until 2003. Author of various books on artists including Caro, Schiele and Rodin, Marlow has lectured on art in more than 40 countries.
"Self" by Marc Quinn is on display in Room 38 in the ground floor contemporary displays at the National Portrait Gallery.