Damien Hirst
Biography
Since his emergence in the international art scene in the late 1980s, Damien Hirst has explored the complex relationships between art, beauty, religion, science, life, and death. Taking part in the curation of ‘Freeze’ in 1988, he showcased himself and his peers, marking the debut of the Young British Artists movement, most notable for their innovative and entrepreneurial approaches.
Hirst's Spot paintings evoke psychological and perceptual dichotomies, presenting multi-coloured spots on white backgrounds, painted by hand to allow subtle imperfections. His pharmaceutical paintings, medicine cabinets, and Visual Candy series critiques the cultural role of prescription drugs and the misleading narratives that they advertise. His ‘spin paintings’ are known for their vibrant and dynamic patterns, created by spinning the canvas and applying paint to generate colourful, abstract compositions, highlighting the roles of chance in his artistic process. His Natural History series features animals that have been taxidermied, in turn coalescing the boundaries of art and science. When assessing the ethos of Hirsts’ work, each, regardless of medium, challenges our contemporary belief systems and the overall human experience.
Since the early 2000s, Hirst has produced works such as kaleidoscopic butterfly paintings and monumental sculptures. His retrospective ‘The Agony and the Ecstasy’ was presented in Naples in 2004, and a major retrospective at Tate Modern in 2012. Hirst opened the Newport Street Gallery in London in 2015, promoting his ambition to share his collection with the general public.
“People are afraid of change, so you create a kind of belief for them through repetition. It’s like breathing. I’ve always been drawn to series and pairs. A unique thing is quite a frightening object.” - Damien Hirst.