This Artist Uses His Blood To Create Portraits

These artistic pieces may not be for the faint of heart, but they are one of the most creative concepts we’ve seen to date. Enter Marc Quinn, a man who creates self-portraits out of his frozen blood. 

The self-portrait series is titled “Self,” as a physical reflection of Marc Quinn, and he creates a piece of art made from his frozen blood once every five years. Interestingly, the appearance of his pieces changes over time, similar to how we change as time passes. 

Quinn’s artistic statement explains that he gravitates towards unconventional materials that address his “preoccupation with the mutability of the body and the dualisms that define human life.”

One of Quinn’s bloody creations was purchased by mega-collector Charles Saatchi, and another sits comfortably in London’s National Portrait Gallery. Although it seems a little taboo or strange, it’s truly a beautiful concept. Thanks to an interview with Marc Quinn and Huffpost, we learned more about the intricacies of his pieces.

Quinn said that doing a piece made with blood every five years has become a “record of a life,” meaning he’s able to reflect his perspectives on life as he and his blood ages.

When asked about how much blood he uses in his portraits, the extraction process, and if he feels physical effects, Quinn answered that each piece takes about 9 pints of blood. He visits a doctor every six weeks to take a pint “the same way as if I was giving blood.”

Quinn added that he does feel a bit tired the next day, but one of the most significant qualities about the sculptures to him is that “they are about the amazing regenerative power of the human body.” Now, there are roughly 60 pints of Quinn’s blood in the world, and he’s still thriving.

HuffPost asked the final and most meaningful question, stating that art has the ability to “immortalize its subject.” They asked how this metaphorical immortality enhanced his artwork since it’s not just a representation of him but a literal part of him. Quinn replied that he thinks the “Self” frozen head series is about “the impossibility of immortality.”

He says these pieces are “an artwork on life support,” meaning they cannot be unplugged or else they melt into a pool of blood. Finally, these pieces can only exist “in a culture where looking after art is a priority.” He concludes that his creations wouldn’t likely survive social upheavals or wars.