Rising to prominence in the 1990s as part of the pioneering group of Young British Artists, Marc Quinn’s sculptural practice has focused heavily on the body and identity. The present work comes from the personal collection of model and dancer Jenny Bastet, who has been a trailblazing figure for Black woman in the arts as a prominent muse for both Quinn and Kwesi Botchway, featuring in his exhibition ‘Becoming as well as Being’.
Painted in 2017, this work marks an ongoing series of iris paintings which directs our perception of the world. We Share our Chemistry with the Stars is imbued with personal significance. The expansive circular canvases, suspends the pupil to the center of the composition exploring the transitional space of aperture, which allows the viewer to think about the mechanics of the eye and how it is a symbols of the human bodies ‘doorway into the world’. The inflection of the tonal variations create a focal point for the viewer.
Quinn has exhibited widely at notable institutions including the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Fondazione Prada in Milan, and the Fondation Beyeler in Basel. His works are housed in the permanent collections of the Tate Gallery in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Musée National d’Art Moderne Centre Pompidou in Paris.