Kate Moss Goes For The Gold
Back in August we were alerted to the fact that UK artist Marc Quinn was working on an upgraded version of the Kate Moss statue, called Sphynx, that he created back in 2006. When news came out that Quinn would be casting his Kate Moss statue in 18 carat gold we were not allowed to see the finished product (but we were shown a glimpse). At last, the final product can be revealed … behold, Marc Quinn’s latest “masterpiece” Siren:
She has graced countless magazine covers and inspired numerous artists to copy her image. But now Kate Moss has received the ultimate accolade after being immortalised in gold and displayed at the British Museum. And with daily share price drama as well as collapsing house prices this gold sculpture would provide as safe a haven as any for canny, and extremely wealthy, investors. Dubbed a ‘modern day Aphrodite’ the supermodel’s statue, unveiled on Wednesday, cost more than £1.5million to make – of which £1million was the price of the 18 carat gold. Artist Marc Quinn, who named the work ‘Siren’, said he expected to sell it for more than £10million. The piece is hollow and at 50kg is understood to weigh the same as the diminutive Miss Moss herself. It will be displayed from Saturday until January as part of the Statuephilia exhibition in the Nereid Gallery among statues of classical Greek goddesses including Aphrodite. Miss Moss’ pose is a little less conventional however. Mr Quinn elected to immortalise her in provocative yoga pose with her legs behind her head wearing only skimpy underwear. He said: “When I showed Kate the statue she told me she loved it. She really liked the idea and she modelled for me for a day or so.” But he added: “She didn’t pose for me like that. For Kate, she thinks it lifts her into a mythic level. I think she very much loved it because she understands the difference between her image and her self. The sculpture is really about whether we make images or they make us. It’s about trying to live up to impossible dreams and immortality.” The artist claimed that his piece questioned the notion of value in society in the light of the credit crunch. “With the financial crash at the minute. It is a really interesting time to do this. Why should gold be worth lots and steel not?” he said. “It’s because we have agreed it represents something special in our society.” The work is the largest gold statue made by man since ancient Egyptian times. Mr Quinn, who once made a bust of himself using eight pints of his own blood – has created statues of Kate before: Sphynx, a white painted bronze figure of Kate in another yoga pose, and an early version of Siren, also in white. Mr Quinn said of using Moss as a subject: “I thought the next thing to do would be to make a sculpture of the person who’s the ideal beauty of the moment. But even Kate Moss doesn’t live up to the image.”
Uhhh, yeah. I didn’t really understand the point of this piece back in 2006 and I really don’t get it now … but hey, it’s art, right? I’m actually very surprised to learn that this golden statue of Kate Moss is “the largest gold statue made by man since ancient Egyptian times”. I’m not entirely sure that I believe it but … again, who knows. In the end, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and while I may not necessarily be beholding a lot of beauty in this garish art piece myself that doesn’t mean that others can’t behold the beauty for themselves. What do y’all think … do we like?
[Source]
Tags: Kate Moss, Marc Quinn, The British Museum
RSS
Feedburner
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:40 am
um….okaaaay
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:42 am
Art…well, I do like it better than the statue he made of Brittney
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:47 am
I think the gold is pretty, and even the contortion is nice…but Kate Moss?! Really?! I don’t know her so I can’t judge her as a person, but he couldn’t have picked anyone else? Maybe someone that represented more?
Whatever, I’m not the artist. I will commend his great sculpting abilities
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:56 am
Yeah I don’t get it either. She isn’t pretty to me…and she doesn’t really stand for anything–other than maybe cheap rimmel products…okay, that was a bit untrue and harsh, but whatevs.
I really think the whole pose is horrible. Really horrible. I can’t fathom why anyone would think it looks good. I may not be an artist, but I am a consumer of average to above average intelligence and I just don’t see it. I guess it’s something different?? That has to be it…right?? Anyone???
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 am
I love how absurd it is to cast this modern day supermodel as the Aphrodite of our times. I think being solid gold is brilliant. I love that it’s hideous. There is another blog I read tht features a “Kate Moss Thursdays” section…this illustrates to me how many people (not I) must be turned on by her. ^twbe.com
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:15 am
When there is a statue in gold I think of idol worship. This art piece really fits. Whether we like it or not, as a culture we’ve idolized Kate Moss for a very long time. I think it’s a really clever commentary on our values.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:17 am
Me no likie.
Look I was curious as to what a life sized gold representation of Kate Moss was going to look like. After the whole expense and effort of making it out of GOLD I kind of expected some attempts at beauty even if it Was of Kate Moss.
Then I saw it and out went that idea.
Now it’s just an oddity. Maybe there’s someone out there that can appreciate the total campyness of the piece and find it awesome but I just think it’s a waste of resources during a time when people are really scrambling for every tinsy penny.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:25 am
WTF?!?!? THIS IS HORRENDOUS!! seriously!! The Britney one was awful too………personally, I think the artist is a perv and has a thing for making sculptures that utilized the female “hoo hoo” area……….gross……..obviously he is talented……but why in this position??? He is just overly obsessed with the nether regions of famous people and tries to find a way to show that area……..boo hiss……..
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 am
I read that as “All That Clitters”.. lol
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I think it’s a really intriguing sculpture. Although I think he could’ve picked a better model for the sculpture, there’s no denying that Kate Moss (especially in Great Britain) has been around for quite a while.
I’m just wondering who would buy it ;) Seriously, how would a man explain this statue to his wife or girlfriend?
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I think this is gross, quite frankly. He’s obviously posing his subjects in offensive suggestive ways to garner reaction – which we’re all giving. What’s the point, really? Anyone can see a woman in this sort of pose in any of a number of trashy magazines. Big deal. As for Kate Moss as his muse . . . he’d have hit the target more closely if he had her snorting a few golden lines.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Hahaha, Jane, I thought the same thing! Gold dust and a gold straw…
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I never “got” Kate Moss to begin with. As for the abilities of the artist, he does seem to have some talent for sculpture, but his piece is overwise uninspiring. The choice of pose is not graceful, elegant or meaningful in any way – and if he meant to provoke reaction with it, the only one he’s getting from me is, “Uhhh…. I don’t get it.” I’m going with Key’s description : it’s just an oddity.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:49 pm
If you’re using GOLD for the sculpture, AT LEAST have a beautiful pose to go with it. This isn’t even pleasing to look at.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Looks horrible… I don’t even like kate moss, I find her as insipid as water. I wouldn’t consider this art but hey! so many thing have been considered art when they shouldn’t.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:14 pm
umm helloo VAGINA IN YOUR FACE. ew not a fan
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:39 pm
It is art and has done well in concept, subject matter, medium, and rendering. Well done. I wouldn’t buy it. For ten million Euros I’d buy America.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Creepy statue is creeeeeeeeeepy. The face looks like Mordred, King Arthur’s illegitimate son, in “Excalibur”.
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:24 am
[...] Kate Moss recebe o tratamento Goldfinger. Ou algo parecido. (Pink is the New Blog) [...]
October 4th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Jealousy, party of 12…
Your table is ready.