Nathaniel Mary Quinn

There is no doubt that my work is about my family. But it’s also about the complexity of humanity and exploring that wide spectrum of colors.
—Nathaniel Mary Quinn

Gagosian is pleased to announce an exhibition of new work by Nathaniel Mary Quinn, opening on June 8 at 4 rue de Ponthieu.

In this, his first solo exhibition in Paris, Quinn explores the construction of memory and perception with reference to his personal and familial history, as well as to art historical influences including Giovanni Battista Moroni, Rembrandt, and Francis Bacon. He also draws on psychotherapist Suzanne Imes’s elaboration of Gestalt theory and philosopher Gaston Bachelard’s unique approach to the psychic resonance of physical space. Working without preliminary sketches, Quinn produces composite portraits in oil paint, paint stick, oil pastel, charcoal, gouache, and soft pastel that simulate the appearance of torn-paper collage. These hybrid faces and figures are neo-Dadaist in their fractured appearance, yet realist in their carefully painted details and overall psychological effect. Focusing on the multifaceted nature of the subconscious mind, Quinn relates key episodes and individuals from his past to larger psychosocial concerns.