Marcus Levine

Marcus Levine (born 29 June 1965, in Leeds, England) is a British nail artist and sculptor. He was born in Yorkshire, England and studied at the Leeds College of Art. His work has featured in The Telegraph, Hello magazine and ArtDaily, along with regional television appearances on BBC Look North and ITV Calendar. He has also carried out radio interviews, with W-Radio in Colombia and Pete Price City Radio.

He is known as a specialist artist in physical pointillism and creator of the figurative nail sculpture art-form. His works of art can contain from 15,000 to 200,000 nails, depending on their size and complexity. Levine's work is known for its abstract approaches, with influences from Michelangelo and Auguste Rodin.

Early life Levine was born in Yorkshire, England. He attended the Leeds College of Art in Leeds, Yorkshire where he first became interested in abstract art. It was stated in The Yorkshire Post that Levine attended the art college with Damien Hurst.

Career Levine began his career as an artist working with abstract works, but became interested in sculptures after he noticed "the interplay between the rigid, angular nails and the soft curves of the human torso". Levine became a nail sculptor in 2004, after spending much of his early career working with different art forms.

His first major position in art was at Harlech Television in Bristol, England as a Quantel Paintbox designer in the late 1980s. In 1989, he moved to work for a family printing machines and supplies business. While working at the business, he focused his artist practice on Photography, Landscape watercolours and acrylic portraiture.

Levine created his first figurative nail sculpture in 2004 and is believed to be the first person to use nails to describe figurative studies in this way. Levine stated that he was unhappy with his first attempt, which was eventually discarded. His Hungarian wife Krisztina acted as his muse for much of his early work 2004–2007. After revisiting his strategy, he created a second piece, which was purchased by a business friend. His first solo exhibition came soon after and was so successful it allowed Levine to quit his job and become a full-time sculptor and nail artist. Within three years, Levine was given the opportunity to exhibit at Gallery 27 in Cork Street, London. It was during this first London exhibition that a photographer from Hello magazine, came to photograph work at Gallery 27. According to Levine, this caused a snowball effect in interest with his work globally, he sold a nude study to an art collector in Beirut, a Greek shipping magnate along with several domestic sales in the UK. The exhibition generated great interest from outside the UK. He has also worked in a number of exhibitions, including Air Gallery in London. and Rarity Gallery in Greece 2014/2015.

Levine held an exhibition at the Finite Gallery near Leeds Bradford Airport in 2010. Prior to the exhibition, he appeared on BBC Look North, to explain his technique and the typical works he produced.

In 2011, Levine unveiled a sculpture outside Cartwright Hall in Bradford, Yorkshire. In March 2013, he exhibited at the JA Festival in Leeds, Yorkshire and featured on ITV Calendar.

In 2012, Levine was commissioned by the British Science Association to create a sensory Oak nail sculpture, hand carved out of 4m of green Oak tree trunk, which was displayed at the Bradford Science Festival. Afterwards it was moved to the University of Bradford and is displayed outside the university's main entrance.

From 2013, Levine began to work on a number of private commissions. The first, was for a nail homage to the most expensive handbag in the world, which at the time cost $1.9 million. This was with full approval and consent for Ginza Tanaka jewellers. A portrait of Dominic North was commissioned in the same year.

In early 2015, Levine presented a portrait to the ex footballer and actor, Vinnie Jones. The work was called Hard as Nails, based on the well-known image of Jones from his days in Hollywood.

In May 2015, Al Pacino commissioned a piece of work on himself, which was created by Levine. His work has been steadily rising in value, with the Al Pacino artwork costing £42,000.