© Marc Quinn; photo by Todd-White Art Photography, courtesy Jay Jopling/White Cube, London

Marc Quinn, "Self" (2006)

Marc Quinn Celebrity-Studded Graff Charity Auction Sells Out at Christie’s London Exhibit Marks Polaroid’s Passing South African, U.K. Artists Donate Works for Charity Auction Design Scheme Louise Blouin Foundation Opens “Design High” To Bling or Not to Bling? All Dried Up?

Send a letter to the Editor

Save to Del.icio.us Digg this

The gallery has just purchased a newly minted version of Marc Quinn’s Self (2006) sculpture, a reproduction of the British artist’s head composed of nine pints of his frozen blood. Three previous versions of the piece sit in private collections. The Art Fund, a U.K. charity devoted to collecting important works for public collections, contributed £100,000 to the £300,000 ($500,000) cost of the piece, a discounted price that was arranged since the work was destined for the museum. The remainder of the funds came from other nonprofit institutions.

Britain’s National Blood Service recommends waiting 16 weeks between donations, meaning that it takes Quinn almost three years to collect the necessary blood if he is following protocol. Assuming Quinn remains alive, the next version of the sculpture will be available for sale in 2011.

Read more at the London Evening Standard.