# Gory Frozen Sculptures Marc Quinn's Self (Blood Head) Series is Made Out of a Macabre Material By Meghan Young | Published 2012-05-31 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/self-blood-head References: [neatorama](http://www.neatorama.com/2012/05/29/artist-makes-self-portraits-out-of-frozen-blood/) & [marcquinn](http://www.marcquinn.com) The Self (Blood Head) series is just what is sounds like it would be, as impossible and gory as that may be. British artist Marc Quinn has created four separate [self-portrait sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glass-portraits) out of frozen blood. And not just any blood. He tapped into his own veins for the unorthodox and deeply personal material. Although known for his strange sculptures, including [Bronze Kate Moss](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kate-moss-statues-supermodel-in-yoga-poses) and his [plastic surgery exploring exhibition](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-marc-quinn-exhibition), the Self (Blood Head) series takes the cake (sorry for the food reference). Incredibly lifelike and detailed, each sculpture is made out of four and a half liters of blood, which is extracted over a period of five months. Quinn creates a portrait every five years or so. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 59% | Activity: 39% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Unconventional Materials:** Using frozen blood as a sculpting material presents opportunities for artists to push the boundaries of traditional materials and create unique and provocative artwork. - **Personalized Art:** Artists can explore the concept of self-portraits by using their own bodily fluids or tissues as a medium, offering a deeply personal and intimate expression of identity. - **Shock Value:** Creating artwork with unconventional and gory materials can attract attention and generate curiosity, opening up opportunities for artists to challenge social norms and provoke discussions. ### Where This Applies - **Art and Sculpture:** Artists in the field of sculpture can experiment with unconventional materials to create thought-provoking and boundary-pushing artwork. - **Healthcare and Biotechnology:** The use of bodily fluids as artistic mediums could lead to collaborations between artists and scientists in the field of biotechnology, exploring new applications and potential advancements. - **Marketing and Advertising:** Brands and marketers can utilize shock value and unconventional materials in their campaigns to capture attention and create memorable experiences for their target audience. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Outdoor Floral Sculpture Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sculptures-at-kew-gardens.md) - [Surreal Love-Themed Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/joakim-ojanen.md) - [Human Torso-Inspired Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lene-bdker.md) - [Human Hair-Made Pots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/range-of-pots.md) - [Human Embraced-Inspired Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wallmounted-sculpture.md) - [Artful Anime-Blending Split Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/split-bust.md) - [Scientifically-Accurate Glass Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glass-microbiology.md) - [Pop Art-Style Blocked Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-in-red.md) - [Glamorous Artful Bronze Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sweet-jane.md)