Lorenzo Quinn

His works of art raise consciousness. With beauty and intense emotion, his mesmerizing sculptures gracefully express the interdependence of art and mankind’s issues such as love, balance, and environmental crises. Born and raised in Rome, the cradle of art, in a family where his father was a famous actor, painter, and sculptor and his mother was a designer, he had the essential elements to pursue a great career as an artist. When I had him in front of me and we were talking, he gave me the impression of a man with special qualities, full of consciousness, emotion, and conception, and his works, large and small, emerged in front of me, transforming the artist into immortal and yet human.

What was the most important influence on your sculptural perspective?

My major influence was life, communicating messages with people, universal messages, trying to bring people together, trying to find what we have in common and not what separates us. So, everything that I represent in my art is trying to find harmony, love, and balance and a universality to it.

How do you work with yourself to cultivate all these virtues?

It’s difficult. In a capitalistic world, it’s so difficult to balance all these virtues. I don’t pretend to be a guru. I speak through my sculptures. Through my art, I try to spread as much love, positivity, and harmony as I possibly can.

What role could art play in global challenges such as climate change?

I’ve made a few sculptures about climate change and it’s an issue that preoccupies me a lot. I’m not a scientist but I am curious, and I read a lot and I listen a lot. I see that what we are doing as humans is not beneficial. This waste, the way we use our energy sources… I think that we can all do our part, but of course, it’s more complicated because the governments must also act. We have the technology to do it. We should put technology to the use of humanity.

One of your trademarks is sculpted hands…

It’s a universal language. Everybody understands the language of gestures. You don’t need to speak. You make certain gestures and people understand you. I’m trying to transmit messages, universal messages, that people can easily understand, especially with public artwork. Art is meant for everyone, not only museum-goers, but anyone who’s in a public space can have the ability, through that work to be influenced by it.

Are you happy? What is happiness for you?

Happiness is freedom, freedom of choice. When you have the freedom to make choices, I think that is happiness. But sometimes we are bogged down by our responsibilities. That’s when you are not free to make the choices that you would like to make and therefore you can’t be completely happy.

Which period of history would you like to live in if you could magically travel back in time?

I would live in ancient Athens. I would love to be in the Agora and listen to the philosophers. Absolutely that would be a beautiful time to be here, at the birthplace of democracy.

If you could change a thing in the world what would that be?

Greed is a horrible thing and so is hate, jealousy, and envy. But you know you need darkness to appreciate the light.

What are your future plans?

I have many exhibitions. I’m doing something very beautiful next week. I am donating one of my sculptures to a very important cause for UNICEF that will help to raise funds for children’s programs. That will be in Dubai. There I’m preparing my exhibition. Then, in Miami for Art Basel and I am also preparing for next year quite a few shows.

Did your father give you some advice that you never forget in your life?

My father was a very deep and wise person. He always told me to do things with passion and always try my best. You may not be the best but always try your best.