Marc Quinn – Making Waves
[rating=3]
by Mark Wilshin
A year in the life of artist Marc Quinn, infamous for the bust of his own head made from his own blood, and Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth sculpture of pregnant artist without arms Alison Lapper, Marc Quinn – Making Waves is an exciting look behind the scenes of the art world as Quinn travels to New York for an exhibition of oversized bronze shells or designs a sculpture for the Chesea Flower Show. Director Gerry Fox occasionally gets involved – told by the Queen’s entourage to cease and desist and tolerated by a wary Elton John. Attending parties for the rich and famous, including Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, the name plates turn from sensationalist celeb spotting to informative, as we discover the players in the world’s art markets. Quinn remains sanguine throughout elucidating the ideas behind his great works. And he makes for a likeable, informative subject – offering Fox carte blanche into his artistic life, works and methods. Contrary to Quinn’s artistic premise that all artworks should challenge us into feeling or thinking something different, Gerry Fox’s Marc Quinn – Making Waves is a simplistic artless bio-doc. But an entertaining portrait all the same.
Marc Quinn – Making Waves is showing on Oct 16th & 19th at the 58th BFI London Film Festival
