Steven Quinn is an artist from Belfast in Northern Ireland, currently based in East London, Stour Space Studios on Fish Island, Hackney Wick. An impulsive creative, his work spans many media but he has a particular focus on collage. His works combine a sharp sense of humour with the sometimes sublime. Surreal image combinations, devastatingly poignant landscapes and portraits, often with an apocalyptic theme.
Quinn plays with imagery in a fresh and unique way, toying with ideas and twisting images from their original context into new and sometimes humorous narratives. Faces protrude from mountain ranges, 1950s families frolic beside nuclear explosions, burning planets and more.
‘Firmament’ titles a selection of work reflecting human existence within a larger celestial world and the temporary small scale we exist within. This body of work consists of collage & surrealist sculpture using themes such as Time, Sex, Death, Science and Religion.
Having grown up in Northern Ireland, Quinn sometimes avoids the subject of religion with playful collages as a form of visual escapism. With this new series of work he confronts and subverts much of the imagery he grew up surrounded by resulting in humorous and poignant imagery.
The Madonna series in particular features old Vintage magazine covers from the 1950’s on oil with wheat-paste patterns drawn digitally by Quinn himself. Finished off with a traditional gold halo. A new 3D collage sculpture featured in the show “Strong arm of The Lord” takes the found objects of a crucifix & an action figure creating a new ‘tongue & cheek’ version of a crucified Christ.
Also featured shall be the usual, un-usual 2D collages Quinn is better known for.
