Chorus Wave Radiation Red

Chorus Wave and Solar Storms are the latest in Marc Quinn’s ongoing Iris series and a continuation from his previous editions, Geography and New Geography. Quinn’s Iris series stems from Ortelius’ classical idea that “geography is the eye of history.” Quinn describes Ortelius’ concept as a “fundamental truth in the world, which we feel now more than ever, spending more time in our cities, countries, and homes.” These latest works are adorned with gestural overpainting by Quinn, symbolising a connection with the magnetic waves of energy, known as the Van Allen radiation belt, that surround the Earth. The paint encapsulates the energy expended by the painting process. Quinn believes that paint, in this abstracted form, holds the potential of all the world’s paintings. It has the latency to become any image. Within this context, the abstracted paint also echoes the energy of the Van Allen belt; the very existence of that energy holds the potential to become or create anything.