�Life is a wonderful, endless journey� if you know how to live it.� Lorenzo Quinn

Until the end of September, in the Art-Gallery �Es Mol�, here in Eivissa, on the road to Santa Gertrudis, we can admire a splendid collection of exceptional bronze sculptures, an extraordinary and very complete exhibition of the latest Art-works of the sculptor Lorenzo Quinn.

There was a private presentation party in the gardens of the Art-gallery, organised by Carlos Martorell, one of the Island�s most famous amphytryons and public relations specialists in social and cultural events.

Judging by the amount of security and bodyguards, it must have been full of VIPs. Unfortunately I wasn�t one of them, but the success of the exhibition was guaranteed from the very beginning.

Following the enormous success that Lorenzo and the Es Mol� Art-gallery had last year with his presentation on the Island, it was also an excellent opportunity for ibizaiistoryculture.com to increase our artists� gallery with such a talented and recognised artist.  His name is synonymous with success, so here we go once again, Gary and I, to try to witness this fantastic event, that is becoming one of the most anticipated and celebrated Art and Cultural events of the Eivissa Summer.

One must appreciate the challenge and great effort of the owners and management of the gallery �Es Mol�, Vetik and Joel Roger, in bringing to Eivissa such unusual exhibitions (unusual in this instance because very little bronze has been exhibited on the Island, especially of this quality and size).

As soon as we arrived at the gallery on Monday afternoon, Gary (as usual) started to shoot his camera, first to the sculptures, then - when Lorenzo arrived - we had half an hour together for another photo session and to talk about his art-pieces and a little about Eivissa, about its present and its future. (Someone close to him told me that Lorenzo is thinking seriously about buying a house on the Island).

I must admit that I was rather intimidated and feeling slow, but only because of my own limitations, not because of Lorenzo.  He is a man with exquisite manners and large culture (in about thirty minutes, I heard him conversing in four languages, Spanish, Italian, French and English, even a bit of Ibicenco-Catalan with the lorry-driver) that makes everybody feel welcome and good by his side.

But what impressed me most was what I think is the great humanity of this artist; humanity reflected in all his art-works, not just in the anatomical perfection of his sculptures, but also because these sculptures evoke the highest ideals and feelings within the person.

They are sculptures that confront humanity with the responsibility of their own facts, with the importance of taking the right decisions, even knowing that there are enormous uncontrolled and unknown forces that lead the Universe and our World, therefore our life. But the last choice - the last word - is always left to the free man�s will. So, with the right decisions, a good will and a big heart we can trust our life to these mysterious energies that hopefully will lead us the right way.

Words like �Love�, �Friendship�, �Creation�, �Nature�, can be read often in the titles of his sculptures, titles that come with what I consider as intimate thoughts or short poems. (In Quinn�s works, the idea comes first, then the idea is put into words and afterwards, the words materialise through his art and the creation appears). Let�s use some of his own words, so we can all understand better what I�m trying to say.  This is what Lorenzo Quinn says about his own sculptures:

�Crossing a millennium�. As with every important turning point in our life we are left to ponder on what we will find and about how our future will be. The unknown scares us. We are finite creatures and our time is limited by the way we live the time we are given. The figure crossing the millennium is �Tunios�. We have seen this figure in the sculpture �Stairs of Life� and there too he represented the past, present and the unknown future. Especially since I have two children, I wonder what kind of world we are bringing them into. The hole in the chest represents the decisions and compromises of the heart one must make to achieve tranquillity, now, into the new millennium and forever.

�Ascension�. Ascend for you have created and you have given.

You taught me what I know and what I am is thanks to you.

You have been my mentor, my polar star. In you I have reflected the image of perfection only to have that image reflected back on me once again. Perfection is to be measured within oneself.

Ascend to the hands of your creator for it is there that we will meet again and there you will teach me more.

�The Creation�. I believe in God, but above all I believe in having a good conscience. Man was made to be perfect by being imperfect. It has always amazed me to see how ancient cultures like the Egyptians were capable of such perfect forms like the pyramids and how nature has itself created perfect forms like the simple shape of an egg.

This shows me that man and nature could be in perfect symbiosis. Artists such as Michelangelo have tried to represent the creation of the perfect being and its closeness to divinity. In turn, I want to represent the symbols of these three forms, art, architecture and nature in one united figure and to make people aware that we are not above anyone, but part of a wonderful homogeneous chain, the chain of life.

By the end of our meeting, as Lorenzo was working in the gallery�s gardens, moving the heavy sculptures with the help of a lorry with a crane, I asked him about his idea of the actual Eivissa: �This is still a beautiful island, green and with a splendid Nature. This is why I come here and I expect to keep doing it, at least for a time every year. But you islanders have to be careful; everything seems to go too fast.

�I understand that people want to earn good money, but you shouldn�t forget that money is not everything. I don�t think that you should lose your real quality of life and the splendid beauty of Ibiza just for the fact of possessing more money. This is the risk that I see and I think it will be a big error. It is my intention to create a sculpture for this Island. As I see it, Ibiza is life, so its statue will be called �Life�.� 

As a native, I want to truthfully thank you for these words.

Then Lorenzo confuses me again by asking about some of the big names of the Island, I felt again insecure and slow, because I�m sure he knows them much better then myself, most probably they were some of the guests that he had last Saturday at his presentation party.

�I am not here for just the social life, not for the big clubs and the night life either. I am here with my family to enjoy nature and live a healthy, familiar life�.

Then I said that having seen how much feeling and art we could see in dancing a Greek �Siritaki� with real passion, who is interested then to see the disco-dancers? We both smiled at this idea and that was the end, Away we went, Gary and me, thinking this time that we have done a really good job, for ourselves and for the name of Eivissa. (I hope and wish to be at the right level as well).

The following is from the book �Lorenzo Quinn� edited by www.lorenzoquinn.com, especially for this exhibition, not to be missed at �Es Mol� Art-gallery.

Lorenzo Quinn was born in Rome, Italy on the 7^th May 1966. He studied art at the American Academy of Fine Arts in New York and in workshops and foundries both in the United States and Europe.

His artistic endeavours are impressive and rewarding and have brought him phenomenal success. He is inspired by the great masters, Michelangelo, Bernini, Crapaux and Rodin, and he frequently returns to Italy for inspiration and knowledge. Starting out as a painter in 1982, he soon discovered that a dimension was missing from his works so turned to sculpting because of a need to create. He felt that as a painter he could not offer anything that had not been offered already by other artists before him. Sculpture allows him to convey his innermost feelings to the viewer. It is this direct communication which Lorenzo constantly seeks. �It is the viewer that interests me, not the art critic... I make art for myself and the people who wish to come along for a ride through my dreams�.

Each sculpture is born first in writing and then materialises. This is why Lorenzo always displays his writings along with the sculpture �because they are a whole, one could not exist without the other. I don�t believe in purely decorative work. It must transmit emotions; it must say something to me and the people that observe it�. He gets his inspirations to create from life�s everyday experiences, as well as from poems and literature in general but especially from observing life�s energy. Symbol-realism is the nomenclature most commonly used when viewing Lorenzo�s works. Savouring life to its fullest is very important to Lorenzo; it allows him to �enjoy the many different aspects of existence�. As a result, each of his works represents a period, an emotion, a symbol.

Lorenzo Quinn�s artistic curriculum started in 1986, with an exhibition in the Center Art Galleries, at Maui, USA. Since then, he has been exhibiting his sculptures every year, in the most important Cities, in Art-centres and galleries of the USA, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Holland, Monaco, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, and Dubai... His Art-pieces form part of private collections all over the World and his commissions can also be seen in many countries. His film-star father Anthony Quinn died just over a year ago and Lorenzo says he is sorry he is not here to see this exhibition.

ART EXHIBITIONS

2002

• Lorenzo Quinn & Anthony Quinn
  Sculptures Exhibition
  Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAE
  29^th May to 21^st June 2002
   

• Galerie Schaer und Wildbolz
  St. Niklausstrasse 5, Solothurn, Switzerland
  16^th June to 14^th July 2002
   

• Es Mol� Gallery, Ibiza, Baleares, Spain
  27^th July to 29^th September 2002
   

• Halcyon Gallery, Brutton Street, London, England, September
   

• Halcyon Gallery, Selfridges, London, England
  2^nd to 17^th November 2002
   

• Villa Manin, Italy
   

• Zurich

2001

• Halcyon Gallery, ICC Birmingham, England, 10^th to 25^th November
   

• Hotel del Arte, Sitges, Spain
   

• De Arte, Madrid, Spain
   

• Parador de Turismo, Arties, Spain
   

• TEFAF 2001, Maastricht, Netherlands
   

• ArTrade, Maastricht, Netherlands
   

• Maison de l'Amerique Latine, Monaco
   

• Galeria Es Moli, Ibiza, Baleares, Spain
   

• Liehrmann Galerie, Liege, Belgium
   

• Credit Foncier, Montecarlo, Monaco
   

• Credit Foncier, Cannes, France
   

• Halcyon Gallery, London, England

2000

• Sala Pere Pruna, Barcelona, Spain
   

• Parador de Turismo de Arties, Valle de Ar�n, Spain
   

• Sala de Exposiciones "Cr�dit Andorr�", Andorra
   

• Contemporary Art Museum, Hong Kong, China
   

• Espai Cultural Pere Pruna, Barcelona, Spain
   

• Ayuntamiento de Castelldefels, Spain
   

• Galeria Echeberria, San Sebasti�n, Spain 
   

• Hotel Estela Barcelona, Sitges, Spain
   

• Galerie Jedlitschka-Fedjuschin, Zurich, Switzerland
   

• Veranneman Foundation, Kruishoutem. Belgium
   

• "Art and Image", Cannes, France
   

• ARCO 2000, Madrid, Spain
   

• Galeria Fons d'Art, Olot, Spain

1999

• Galerie Jedlitschka-Fedjuschin, Zurich, Switzerland
   

• Parador Nacional de Arties, Valle de Aran, Spain
   

• Galeria Castello 120, Madrid, Spain
   

• Deutsche Bank, Madrid, Spain
   

• La Maison de l'Amerique Latine de Monaco, MC
   

• Ayuntamiento de Sitges, Spain
   

• Castell de Benedormiens, Castell d'Aro, Spain
   

• Art Expo '99, Barcelona, Spain
   

• Banco Bilbao Vizcaya, Barcelona, Spain
   

• Palais des Rois de Majorque, Perpignan, France

1998

• Seoul Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
   

• Caja de Ahorros de Gran Canaria, Las Canarias, Spain
   

• Ayuntamiento de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
   

• Palacio del Almud�, Valencia, Spain
   

• Liehrmann Galerie, Liege, Belgium
   

• Galer�a Juan Oliver Maneu, Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain
   

• Palacio del Marqu�s de San Adri�n, Tudela, Spain
   

• Art Expo '98, Barcelona, Spain
   

• Squisito Gallery, Kortrijk, Belgium
   

• Galer�a Castell� 120, Madrid, Spain

1997

• Galer�a Summers, Madrid, Spain
   

• Galer�a Echeberria, San Sebastian, Spain
   

• Galer�a D'Art Susany, Vic, Spain
   

• Galer�a Argar, Almer�a, Spain
   

• Art Expo '97, Barcelona, Spain
   

• Galer�a D'Art, Granollers, Spain
   

• Galer�a Maria Salvat, Barcelona, Spain

1996

• Galer�a Llahi, Escaldes, Andorra
   

• Galer�a Nay, Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain
   

• Seehof Galerie, Davos, Switzerland
   

• Waldhaus Am See Galerie, St. Moritz, Switzerland

1995

• Galleria D'Aste la Gioconda, Modena, Italy
   

• Mus�e du Louvre, Paris, France
   

• Galerie Michelle Boulet, Paris, France
   

• Waldhaus Am See Galerie, S. Moritz, Switzerland

1994

• Galerie Corso, Vienna, Austria
   

• Museo del Pobo Galego, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
   

• Palacio de Gabiria, Madrid, Spain
   

• Real C�rculo Art�stico, Barcelona, Spain
   

• Museo de Grabado Espa�ol Contempor�neo, Marbella, Spain
   

• United Nations, New York, USA

1993

• Eurobuilding Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela
   

• Sheidegger Art Center, Zurich, Switzerland
   

• Galleria Edieuropa, Rome, Italy
   

• Steinrotter Gallery, Munster, Germany

1992

• Galerie Corso, Vienna, Austria
   

• Westport Art Center, Wesport, USA
   

• Mayfair Gallery, New York, USA
   

• Gallery at Sands, Atlantic City, USA

1991

• Ambassador Galleries, New York, USA
   

• Benedetti Gallery, New York, USA
   

• Galleria Hausamann, Cortina, Italy

1990

• Rempire Fine Arts, New York, USA

1988

• Center Art Galleries, Honolulu, USA

1987

• Center Art Galleries, Maui, USA

1986

• Center Art Galleries, Maui, USA

COMMISSIONS

• Nacional Suiza Insurances
   

• Monumental Sculpture
  �Parque del Mar�, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
   

• Monumental Sculpture
  For the City Council of Viladecans, Barcelona
   

• �Re-encounter�,
  Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain
   

• Three life-size Sculptures
  For Midland & City Developments, King Edwards Wharf, Birmingham, England
   

• San Miguel S.A.
  Trophy for the Mallorca Open ATP Tennis Tour
   

• Illustrious Official Medical College of Madrid, Spain
   

• Chupa Chups S.A.
   

• Euroforum Escorial
   

• Inauguration of the Sculpture
  �The Friendship Fish� at Ampunriabrava, Girona, Spain
   

• Monumental Sculpture
  Dubai National Bank, Dubai, UAE

Lorenzo Quinn

Details: If you should require any further information about Lorenzo Quinn and his work then we suggest you visit his personal website at http://www.lorenzo-quinn.com where there is a vast amount of information and pictures of the artist and his work.