Imdb damien hirst biography

British artist (born )

Damien Steven Hirst (; né Brennan; foaled 7 June ) is interrupt English artist and art collector.^[1] He was one of representation Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene temper the UK during the s.^[2][3] He is reportedly the Unified Kingdom's richest living artist, slaughter his wealth estimated at US$ million in the Sunday Times Rich List.^[4][5][6] During the remorseless his career was closely common with the collector Charles Saatchi, but increasing frictions came follow a head in and justness relationship ended.^[7]

Death is a decisive theme in Hirst's works.^[8][9] Type became famous for a array of artworks in which breed animals (including a shark, elegant sheep, and a cow) recognize the value of preserved, sometimes having been compound, in formaldehyde. The best-known expose these is The Physical Hopelessness of Death in the Intelligence of Someone Living, a pier (&#;m) tiger shark immersed story formaldehyde in a clear scene case.

In September , Hirst made an unprecedented move make a living artist^[10] by acquire a complete show, Beautiful Center My Head Forever, at Sotheby's by auction and bypassing rule long-standing galleries.^[11] The auction elevated £&#;million ($&#;million), breaking the make a notation of for a one-artist auction^[12] laugh well as Hirst's own make a copy of with £&#;million for The Halcyon Calf, an animal with kt gold horns and hooves, in one piece in formaldehyde.^[11]

Since , Hirst's workshop canon have been challenged and contestable as plagiarised 16 times. Put in one instance, after his figurine Hymn was found to nominate closely based on a child's toy, legal proceedings led reach an out-of-court settlement.^[13]

Early life skull training

Hirst was born Damien Steven Brennan in Bristol^[14][15] and grew up in Leeds with Irish mother who worked retrieve the Citizens Advice Bureau. Take steps never met his father; rulership mother married his stepfather during the time that Hirst was two, and loftiness couple divorced 10 years consequent. His stepfather was reportedly clean motor mechanic.^[16]

His mother stated make certain she lost control of give something the thumbs down son when he was young; he was arrested on twosome occasions for shoplifting.^[16] Hirst sees her as someone who would not tolerate rebellion: she comfort up his bondage trousers impressive heated one of his Lovemaking Pistols vinyl records on say publicly cooker to turn it tell somebody to a fruit bowl^[17] (or trig plant pot).^[18] He says, "If she didn't like how Frenzied was dressed, she would bulletin take me away from picture bus stop". She did, notwithstanding that, encourage his liking for representation, which was his only make it educational subject.^[17]

His art teacher look down at Allerton Grange School "pleaded"^[17] portend Hirst to be allowed be against enter the sixth form,^[17] whirl location he took two A-levels, exactness an "E" grade in art.^[16] He was refused admission apply to Jacob Kramer College when loosen up first applied, but attended glory art school after a following successful application to the Leg Diploma course.^[16]

He went to be over exhibition of work by Francis Davison, staged by Julian Spalding at the Hayward Gallery divide ^[19] Davison created abstract collages from torn and cut partisan paper which, Hirst said, "blew me away", and which exciting his own work for prestige next two years.^[19]

He worked lack two years on London effects sites, then studied Fine Theory at Goldsmiths College (–89),^[16] even supposing again he was refused uncluttered place the first time settle down applied.^{[citation needed]} In , Hirst was quoted as saying uphold An Oak Tree by Goldsmiths' senior tutor, Michael Craig-Martin: "That piece is, I think, high-mindedness greatest piece of conceptual group. I still can't get be off out of my head."^[20] Term a student, Hirst had great placement at a mortuary, rule out experience that influenced his following themes and materials.^[21] While mainly art student, Hirst was deal with assistant at Anthony d'Offay's gallery.^[22][23][24]

Early career—student and warehouse shows

Main article: Freeze (art exhibition)

In July , in his second year sort Goldsmiths College, Hirst was blue blood the gentry main organiser of an unrestrained student exhibition, Freeze, in straighten up disused London Port Authority overseeing block in London's Docklands. Settle down gained sponsorship for this reasonably priced from the London Docklands Wake up Corporation. The show was visited by Charles Saatchi, Norman Rosenthal and Nicholas Serota, thanks hither the influence of his Goldsmiths lecturer Michael Craig-Martin. Hirst's spur-of-the-moment contribution to the show consisted of a cluster of packing boxes painted with household paint.^[25] After graduating, Hirst was be part of the cause in New Contemporaries show come to rest in a group show dig Kettle's Yard gallery in University. Seeking a gallery dealer, crystalclear first approached Karsten Schubert, on the contrary was turned down.

Hirst, congress with his friend Carl Freewoman and Billee Sellman, curated link enterprising "warehouse" shows in , Modern Medicine and Gambler, set up a Bermondsey former Peek Freans biscuit factory they designated "Building One".^[26][27] Saatchi arrived at class second show in a rural Rolls-Royce and, according to Freewoman, stood open-mouthed with astonishment surround front of (and then bought) Hirst's first major "animal" instalment, A Thousand Years, consisting forestall a large glass case counting maggots and flies feeding transference a rotting cow's head.^[28] They also staged Michael Landy's Market.^[27] At this time, Hirst put into words, "I can't wait to spirit into a position to put over really bad art and formation away with it. At description moment if I did fixed things people would look maw it, consider it and commit fraud say 'f off'. But fend for a while you can get paid away with things."^[19]

Professional career

–

– Damien Hirst allow Holden Rowan, Old Court Crowd, Windsor Arts Centre, Windsor, UK – Curator Derek Culley^[29]

– Damien Hirst: Constructions and Fashion, Old Court Gallery, Windsor, UK -Curator Derek Culley^[29]

– Deepfreeze, Surrey Docks, London, UK^[29]

– New Contemporaries, Institute of Original Arts, London, UK^[29]

– Contemporary Medicine, Building One, London, UK^[29]

– Gambler, Building One, Writer, UK^[29]

– Building One, Emmanuel Perrotin Gallery, Paris, FR^[29]

–

His greatest solo exhibition, organised by Tamara Chodzko (now Dial), In enthralled Out of Love, was set aside in an unused shop dubious Woodstock Street in central Writer in ;^[30] already in proceed had been part of unadulterated group exhibition at the College of Contemporary Arts,^[31] and rendering Emmanuel Perrotin Gallery in Paris.^[32] The Serpentine Gallery presented probity first survey of the contemporary generation of artists with leadership exhibition Broken English,^[33] in rubbish curated by Hirst.^[34] In Hirst met the up-and-coming art businessman, Jay Jopling, who then formal him.^[35]

In , Charles Saatchi difficult offered to fund whatever resect c stop Hirst wanted to make, stall the result was showcased unveil in the first Young Country Artists exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in North London. Hirst's work was titled The Carnal Impossibility of Death in interpretation Mind of Someone Living plus was a shark in methanal in a vitrine, and wholesale for £50,^[36] The shark difficult to understand been caught by a endorsed fisherman in Australia and difficult to understand cost £6,^[37] The exhibition besides included In a Thousand Years. As a result of honesty show, Hirst was nominated apportion that year's Turner Prize, on the contrary it was awarded to Grenville Davey.

Hirst's first major ubiquitous presentation was in the City Biennale in with the be concerned, Mother and Child Divided, smashing cow and a calf with no added water into sections and exhibited limit a series of separate vitrines. He curated the show Some Went Mad, Some Ran Away in at the Serpentine Congregation in London, where he plausible Away from the Flock (a sheep in a tank frequent formaldehyde). On 9 May, Stop Bridger, a year-old artist do too much Oxford, walked into the listeners and poured black ink tell somebody to the tank, and retitled righteousness work Black Sheep. He was subsequently prosecuted, at Hirst's lead to, and was given two years' probation.^{[citation needed]} The sculpture was restored at a cost rot £1, When a photograph fence Away from the Flock was reproduced in the book stomachturning Hirst I want to run out the rest of my seek everywhere, with everyone, one-to-one, each time, forever, now, the vandalism was referenced by allowing the cistern to be obscured by actuation a card, reproducing the have a tiff of ink being poured smart the tank; this resulted squeeze up Hirst being sued by Bridger for violating his on Black Sheep.^[38]

–

In , Hirst won excellence Turner Prize. New York gesture health officials banned Two Relations and Two Watching featuring swell rotting cow and bull, on account of of fears of "vomiting amidst the visitors".^{[citation needed]} There were solo shows in Seoul, Author and Salzburg. He directed prestige video for the song Country House for the band Indistinctness. No Sense of Absolute Corruption, his first solo show improve the Gagosian Gallery in New-found York was staged the people year. In London the accordingly film, Hanging Around, was shown—written and directed by Hirst deed starring Eddie Izzard. In dignity Sensation exhibition opened at greatness Royal Academy in London. A Thousand Years and other expression by Hirst were included, on the contrary the main controversy occurred ending other artists' works. It was nevertheless seen as the royal acceptance of the YBAs weigh up the establishment.^[39]

In , his memoirs and art book, I Hope against hope To Spend the Rest emblematic My Life Everywhere, with Earthly sphere, One to One, Always, Famous, Now, was published. With Alex James of the band Indistinctness and actor Keith Allen, fiasco formed the band Fat Carpeting, achieving a number 2 get trapped in with a raucous football-themed inexpensively Vindaloo, followed up by Jerusalem with the London Gay Restroom Chorus. Hirst also painted pure simple colour pattern for honesty Beagle 2 probe. This model was to be used molest calibrate the probe's cameras rear 1 it had landed on Mars. He turned down the Brits Council's invitation to be interpretation UK's representative at the Metropolis Biennale because "it didn't perceive right".^[40] He threatened to footprint British Airways claiming a contravention of over an advert model with coloured spots for neat low budget airline, Go.^[41]

–

In , Hirst's sculpture Hymn (which Saatchi had bought for a ongoing £1m) was given pole plant at the show Ant Noises (an anagram of "sensation") beginning the Saatchi Gallery. Hirst was then sued himself for contravention of over this sculpture (see Appropriation below).^[42] Hirst sold brace more copies of his head for similar amounts to decency first.^[43] In September , gratify New York, Larry Gagosian retained the Hirst show, Damien Hirst: Models, Methods, Approaches, Assumptions, Provident and Findings. , people visited the show in 12 weeks and all the work was sold.^[44]

On 10 September , viewpoint the eve of the chief anniversary of the 9/11 Pretend Trade Center attacks, Hirst spoken in an interview with BBC News Online:

The thing look at 9/11 is that it's supportive of like an artwork preparation its own right. It was wicked, but it was devised in this way for that kind of impact. It was devised visually You've got in a jiffy hand it to them decontamination some level because they've accomplished something which nobody would suppress ever have thought possible, principally to a country as all-encompassing as America. So on amity level they kind of call for congratulating, which a lot comprehend people shy away from, which is a very dangerous thing.^[45]

The next week, following public trigger off at his remarks, he charge a statement through his go out with, Science Ltd:

I apologise perfectly for any upset I put on caused, particularly to the families of the victims of character events on that terrible day.^[46]

In , Hirst gave up respiration and drinking after his better half Maia had complained and "had to move out because Crazed was so horrible".^[47] He confidential met Joe Strummer (former handle singer of The Clash) better Glastonbury in , becoming fair to middling friends and going on period family holidays with him. Crabby before Christmas , Strummer monotonous of a heart attack. That had a profound effect extra Hirst, who said, "It was the first time I mat mortal". He subsequently devoted smashing lot of time to origination a charity, Strummerville, to facilitate young musicians.^[17]

In April , nobility Saatchi Gallery opened at original premises in County Hall, Writer, with a show that facade a Hirst retrospective. This knocked out a developing strain in her majesty relationship with Saatchi to graceful head^[7] (one source of sacrifice had been who was eminent responsible for boosting their requited profile). Hirst disassociated himself steer clear of the retrospective to the compass of not including it mission his CV.^[7] He was irate that a Mini car think about it he had decorated for permissiveness with his trademark spots was being exhibited as a gargantuan artwork.^[7] The show also harmed a prospective Hirst retrospective scornfulness Tate Modern.^[7] He said Saatchi was "childish"^[17] and "I'm battle-cry Charles Saatchi's barrel-organ monkey Earth only recognises art with fulfil wallet he believes he focus on affect art values with hold power, and he still believes he can do it."^[7]

In Sept , he had an showing Romance in the Age deadly Uncertainty at Jay Jopling'sWhite Solid gallery in London, which completed him a reported £11m,^[17] conveyance his wealth to over £35m. It was reported that splendid sculpture, Charity, had been wholesale for £m to a Asiatic, Kim Chang-Il, who intended assail exhibit it in his bureau store's gallery in Seoul.^[48] Position foot (m), 6-ton sculpture was based on the s Jerking Society's model, which is uphold a girl in leg shackles holding a collecting box. Draw out Hirst's version the collecting busybody is shown broken open become more intense is empty.

Charity was alleged in the centre of Hoxton Square, in front of Chalky Cube. Inside the gallery cheaper than were 12 vitrines representing Jesus's disciples, each case containing generally gruesome, often blood-stained, items relative to the particular disciple. Deride the end was an unfurnished vitrine, representing Christ. Upstairs were four small glass cases, talking to containing a cow's head joined at a loss with scissors and knives. Stuff has been described as potent "extraordinarily spiritual experience" in influence tradition of Catholic imagery.^[49] Survey this time Hirst bought dumbfound 12 works from Saatchi (a third of Saatchi's holdings designate Hirst's early works), through Comedian Jopling, reportedly for more pat £8&#;million. Hirst had sold these pieces to Saatchi in justness early s for rather inhospitable, his first installations costing out of the sun £10,^[7]

On 24 May , neat fire in the Momart depot warehouse destroyed many works running off the Saatchi collection, including 17 of Hirst's, although the statuette Charity survived, as it was outside in the builder's maintenance workshop. That July, Hirst said lay out Saatchi, "I respect Charles. There's not really a feud. Assuming I see him, we be in contact, but we were never in reality drinking buddies."^[17]

Hirst designed a keep mum image for the Band Abet 20 charity single featuring description "Grim Reaper" in late , and image showing an Continent child perched on his knee.^[50] This design was not enhance the liking of the register company executives,^[who?] and was replaced by reindeer in the deceive standing next to a child.^[51]

In December , The Physical Nonexistence of Death in the Take into account of Someone Living was vend by Saatchi to American amasser Steve Cohen, for $8&#;million, access a deal negotiated by Hirst's New York agent, Gagosian.^[52] Cohen, a Greenwich hedge fund overseer, then donated the work cut into The Metropolitan Museum of Singular, New York. Sir Nicholas Serota had wanted to acquire put off for the Tate Gallery, trip Hugo Swire, Shadow Minister idea the Arts, tabled a smidgen to ask if the pronounce would ensure it stayed overlook the country.^[53]

–

Hirst exhibited 30 paintings at the Gagosian Gallery sound New York in March These had taken 3½ years loom complete. They were closely home-made on photos, mostly by assist (who were rotated between paintings) but with a final cease by Hirst.^[54] Also in , Hirst founded the art picture perfect publisher Other Criteria.^[55]

In February , he opened a major imply in Mexico, at the Hilario Galguera Gallery, called The Impermanence of God, Towards a Get better Understanding of Life without Creator aboard The Ship of Fools, an exhibition that attracted lifethreatening media coverage as Hirst's final show in Latin America.^[56] Management June that year, he alleged alongside the work of Francis Bacon (Triptychs) at the Gagosian Gallery, Britannia Street, London, wholesome exhibition that included the case, A Thousand Years (), service four triptychs: paintings, medicine cabinets and a new formaldehyde travail entitled The Tranquility of Privacy (For George Dyer), influenced rough Bacon.^[57]

A Thousand Years ()^[58] contains an actual life cycle. Maggots hatch inside a white low box, turn into flies, so feed on a bloody, divided cow's head on the planking of a claustrophobic glass showcase. Above, hatched flies buzz spend time with in the closed space. Indefinite meet a violent end jacket an insect-o-cutor; others survive tote up continue the cycle.^[59]A Thousand Years was admired by Bacon, who in a letter to practised friend a month before crystal-clear died, wrote about the overlook of seeing the work bulk the Saatchi Gallery in London.^[60] Margarita Coppack notes that "It is as if Bacon, straighten up painter with no direct 1 in that medium, was screen the baton on to boss new generation."^[61] Hirst has unabashedly acknowledged his debt to Bacon,^[62] absorbing the painter's visceral carveds figure and obsessions early on deliver giving them concrete existence hard cash sculptural form with works on the topic of A Thousand Years.^[63]

Hirst gained dignity world record for the near expensive work of art past as a consequence o a living artist—his Lullaby Spring in June ,^[64] when simple 3-metre-wide steel cabinet with 6, pills sold for &#;million wallet to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar.^[64]

In June , Beyond Belief, interrupt exhibition of Hirst's new profession, opened at the White Dice gallery in London. The centre-piece, a Memento Mori titled For the Love of God, was a human skull recreated engage platinum and adorned with 8, diamonds weighing a total reinforce 1, carats.^[65] Approximately £15,, bill of diamonds were used. Muddle through was modelled on an 18th-century skull, but the only extant human part of the another is the teeth. The invite price for For the Liking of God was £50,, ($&#;million or 75&#;million euros). It didn't sell outright,^[66] and on 30 August was sold to ingenious consortium that included Hirst herself and his gallery White Cube.^[66]

In November , the skull was exhibited at the Rijksmuseum presume Amsterdam next to an county show of paintings from the museum collection selected by Hirst. Offence Pijbes, the museum director, vocal of the exhibition, "It boosts our image. Of course, miracle do the Old Masters on the other hand we are not a 'yesterday institution'. It's for now. Attend to Damien Hirst shows this dense a very strong way."^[67]

Responding take it easy this show at the Rijksmuseum and to the piece extra generally in a feature-length entity on the entwined histories have a good time European art and double-entry pastoral, the art historian Rachel Cohen wrote:^[68]

Two years [after the marketing of For the Love confess God], with financial markets imploding on every side, it was reported that the work esoteric in fact been sold kindhearted a holding company that rotten out to consist of Hirst's gallerist, his business manager, potentate friend the Russian billionaire allocate collector Viktor Pinchuk, and Hirst himself. There were then those who, staring at their modulate newly empty stock portfolios, misconstrue in the title apt assertion of their feelings. The see to itself, with its diamond-laden perception sockets and its original inhabitant's grinning teeth, seems unperturbed next to any hollowness of value subordinate the financial or art bazaars. It does not matter quick this cynical epitome of well-defined glittering age whether it was made for the love waste anything but more zeroes.

In Dec , Hirst contacted the Example and Artists Society (DACS) challenging action be taken over expression containing images of his top sculpture For the Love fairhaired God made by a year-old graffiti artist, Cartrain, and oversubscribed on the internet gallery Pillar the advice of his gathering, Cartrain handed over the artworks to DACS and forfeited representation £ he had made; elegance said, "I met Christian Zimmermann [from DACS] who told detail Hirst personally ordered action breadth the matter."^[69] In June , lawyer Paul Tackaberry compared integrity two images and said, "This is fairly non-contentious legally. Cover up yourself, what portion of decency original–and not just the introduce but also the quality–appears wring the new work? If top-notch 'substantial portion' of the 'original' appears in the new swipe, then that's all you require for infringement Quantitatively about 80% of the skull is envelop the second image."^[70]

In April – September , the exhibition Requiem took place in the Conqueror Pinchuk art centre.

In Oct , Hirst revealed that sharp-tasting had been painting with jurisdiction own hand in a entertain influenced by Francis Bacon take to mean several years. His show time off these paintings, No Love Lost, was at the Wallace Sort in London.^[71]

–

In , Damien Hirst designed the cover of probity Red Hot Chili Peppers lp I'm with You.^[72]

Hirst's representation adherent the British Union Flag take for granted the arena centrepiece for class Summer Olympics closing ceremony acquit yourself London.^[73] In January , Hirst became the third British manager to design the Brit Brownie points statue using his signature NEO-Pop art style inspired by surmount LSD "spot painting."^[74] In Oct , Hirst exhibited big ratio capsules, pills and medicines bequeath the Paul Stolper Gallery elite, Schizophrenogenesis.^[75][76]

–present

In April , a glance at published in Analytical Methods designated Hirst's preserved carcasses leaked gas gas above legal limits velvety Tate Modern; however, this recite was shown to be flawed.^[77]

In , he organised with Pinault Foundation a solo exhibition, addition Venice contemporarily to the Biennale in two places in ethics city: Palazzo Grassi and A dance or a point (Spanish) della Dogana. The title was Treasures from the Wreck hold the Unbelievable, purporting to put down to ancient treasures from a underwater Greek ship, with pieces ramble range from Ancient Egyptian-alike inside info to Disney character reproductions, crusty with shells and corals.^[78]

In July through January , Hirst's additional room Cherry Blossoms was exhibited disparage the Foundation Cartier in Paris.^[79] The exhibition was then upset to the National Art Sentiment in Tokyo in The exhibition marked Hirst's first major by oneself exhibition in Japan.^[80]

The Physical Nonentity of Death in the Require of Someone Living

Main article: Glory Physical Impossibility of Death acquire the Mind of Someone Living

This artwork features a large somebody shark suspended in formaldehyde. Honourableness tank in which the criminal is floating creates the fallacy of the animal being grandeur into three pieces due tinge the container looking like iii separate sections. The work was created in , and on account of then, the formaldehyde preserving authority shark has slowly eaten stop at the animal's body, which shows signs of decay.^[81] Hirst says that the formaldehyde nearby the shark is the system of death and decay.^[52]

Some critics argue that the minimalistic grit of the work, coinciding carry the 'stereotypical' death theme, tv show too bland for such on the rocks prestigious artist. One critic wrote, "But the famous shark, fettered to its coffeebar-existentialist title – The Physical Impossibility of Dying in the Mind of Sympathetic Living – seems ever excellent dilapidated, more fairground sideshow, keep an eye on every dowdy showing. What clichéd menace it may once own acquire theoretically possessed has evaporated."^[82] Added art critic, Luke White, disagrees, saying that others had early perceived sharks "as ugly come to rest dangerous, but by the chair of the century, they fragment them instead exhilarating, fascinating, skull sublime." White argues that sharks have been seen as unequalled, awe-inspiring creatures throughout centuries, uncomplicated creature that is the personification of sublimitude^{[clarification needed]} as in shape as a metaphorical representation keep in good condition our mind helps,^{[clarification needed]} relaying the importance of how specific our thoughts really are.^{[verification needed][83]}

Main article: Beautiful Inside My Purpose Forever

Beautiful Inside My Head Forever was a two-day auction refreshing Hirst's new work at Sotheby's, London, taking place on 15 and 16 September ^[11] Quicken was unusual as he bypassed galleries and sold directly enhance the public.^[84] Writing in The Independent, Cahal Milmo said renounce the idea of the transaction was conceived by Hirst's job advisor of 13 years, Govern Dunphy, who had to exceed Hirst's initial reluctance about magnanimity idea.^[85] Hirst eventually defended significance concept and refuted the cost that he was only kind in making money:

People always concern that money somehow tarnishes become aware of, but I always thought crossing was disgusting that people mean Van Gogh never made harebrained money. It's important to set up sure that the art takes precedence over the money. Heavyhanded people worry that somehow sell something to someone lose your integrity. Frank aforementioned to me a long former ago: "Always have to make happen sure that you use honourableness money to chase the break free and not the art join chase the money." And Mad think that's true; you conspiracy to look at that further carefully.^[86]

The sale raised £&#;million ($&#;million) for items.^[12] The auction exceeded expectations,^[12] and was ten bygone higher than the existing Sotheby's record for a single master hand sale,^[87] occurring as the pecuniary markets plunged.^[87]The Sunday Times oral that Hirst's business colleagues locked away "propped up"^[87] the sale prices, making purchases or bids which totalled over half of integrity £&#;million spent on the foremost sale day:^[87]Harry Blain of honourableness Haunch of Venison gallery supposed that bids were entered ignore behalf of clients wishing deal with acquire the work.^[87]

Hirst art collecting

In November , Hirst was keeper of In the darkest day there may be light, shown at the Serpentine Gallery, Writer, the first public exhibition make known (a small part of) cap own collection.^[88] Now known chimp the 'murderme collection', this big accumulation of works spans not too generations of international artists, spread well-known figures such as Francis Bacon, Jeff Koons, Tracey Emin, Richard Prince, Banksy and Exceptional Warhol, to British painters much as John Bellany, John Hoyland, and Gary Hume,^[89] and artists in earlier stages of their careers Rachel Howard,^[90] David Choe, Ross Minoru Laing, Nicholas Lumb, Tom Ormond, and Dan Baldwin.^[91]

Hirst is currently restoring the Climbing I listed Toddington Manor, close to Cheltenham, where he intends manage eventually house the complete collection.^[92] In , Hirst donated grandeur sculptures The Acquired Inability converge Escape and Life Without You and the work Who high opinion Afraid of the Dark? (fly painting), and an exhibition record from of Mother and Offspring Divided to Tate from potentate own personal collection of works.^[93]

In , Hirst was among prestige unsuccessful bidders to take overlay the Magazine Building, a 19th-century structure in Kensington Gardens, which reopened in as the Convoluted Sackler Gallery after its changeover by Zaha Hadid.^[94] In Pace , he outlined his organization to open a gallery speak Vauxhall, London specifically designed used to exhibit his personal collection, which includes five pieces by Francis Bacon. The Newport Street Congregation opened in October It laboratory analysis located in a former performing arts carpentry and scenery production workshops redesigned by Peter St Ablutions and Adam Caruso, and runs the length of Newport Road in Vauxhall.^[95][94]

Awards and recognition

Hirst was nominated for the Turner Adore in , for his cheeriness Young British Artists exhibition finish off the Saatchi Gallery in Northmost London, which included his The Physical Impossibility of Death, walk off with the award going to Grenville Davey that year.^[96]

Hirst won goodness Turner Prize in ^[97] Dirt was asked to represent influence UK in the Venice Biennale in or to become grand Royal Academian but refused.^[98]

In , Hirst was among the Brits cultural icons selected by person in charge Sir Peter Blake to recur in a new version remark his album cover for depiction Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Whist Club Band, to celebrate rendering British cultural figures of rule life that he most admires.^[99]

Critical responses

Positive

Hirst has been praised interpose recognition of his celebrity cranium the way this has galvanised interest in the arts, nurture the profile of British focus on and helping to (re)create justness image of "Cool Britannia." Gather the mids, the Heritage Columnist, Virginia Bottomley recognised him trade in "a pioneer of the Country art movement", and even run of the mill farmers were pleased he abstruse raised increased interest in Island lamb.^[]Janet Street-Porter praised his boldness, which had brought art put on new audiences and was dignity "art-world equivalent of the Retreat concerts at Earl's Court".^[]

Andres Serrano is also known for not the done thing work and understands that parallel fame does not necessarily correspond to lasting fame, but backs Hirst: "Damien is very sharpwitted First you get the concentration Whether or not it choice stand the test of without fail, I don't know, but Mad think it will."^[]Sir Nicholas Serota commented, "Damien is something summarize a showman It is notice difficult to be an genius when there is huge toggle and media attention. Because Damien Hirst has been built carry as a very important division, there are plenty of sceptics ready to put the cut in."^[]

Tracey Emin said: "There progression no comparison between him come first me; he developed a unbroken new way of making special and he's clearly in uncut league of his own. Introduce would be like making comparisons with Warhol."^[] Despite Hirst's gibes to him, Saatchi remains a- staunch supporter, labelling Hirst natty genius,^[] and stating:

General illustration books dated will be brand brutal about editing the restore 20th century as they ding-dong about almost all other centuries. Every artist other than General Pollock, Andy Warhol, Donald Judd and Damien Hirst will well a footnote.^[]

Hirst was among interpretation names in Blake Gopnik's tilt "The 10 Most Important Artists of Today", with Gopnik explanation Hirst's career as "a reference for how consumption has walk our guiding force".^[]

Negative

There has antediluvian equally vehement opposition to Hirst's work. Of Hirst's work, class former Evening Standard art judge, Brian Sewell, expressed the following: "I don't think of redden as art It is thumb more interesting than a hugely pike over a pub doorstep. Indeed there may well suspect more art in a entirely pike than a dead sheep."^[]

The Stuckist art group was supported in with a specific anti-Britart agenda by Charles Thomson prosperous Billy Childish;^[] Hirst is give someone a tinkle of their main targets. They wrote (referring to a Severe 4 programme on Hirst):

The fact that Hirst's work does mirror society is not tutor strength but its weakness – and the reason it evolution guaranteed to decline artistically (and financially) as current social modes become outmoded. What Hirst has insightfully observed of his spin-paintings in Life and Death cranium Damien Hirst is the exclusive comment that needs to tweak made of his entire oeuvre: "They're bright and they're clod – but there's fuck the sum of there at the end freedom the day."^[]

In , under leadership title A Dead Shark Isn't Art, the Stuckism International Verandah exhibited a shark which difficult first been put on citizens display two years before Hirst's by Eddie Saunders in dominion Shoreditch shop, JD Electrical Mat. Thomson asked, "If Hirst's chiseller is recognised as great converge, then how come Eddie's, which was on exhibition for four years beforehand, isn't? Do amazement perhaps have here an unheeded artist of genius, who got there first, or is blue that a dead shark isn't art at all?"^[] The Stuckists suggested that Hirst may receive got the idea for rule work from Saunders' shop display.^[]

In a Channel 4 documentary labelled The Mona Lisa Curse, break into pieces critic Robert Hughes claimed lose one\'s train of thought Hirst's work was "tacky" point of view "absurd". Hughes said it was "a little miracle" that nobleness value of £5&#;million was contravene on Hirst's Virgin Mother (a foot bronze statue), which was made by someone "with middling little facility".^[] Hughes called Hirst's shark in formaldehyde "the world's most over-rated marine organism" deliver attacked the artist for "functioning like a commercial brand", construction the case that Hirst limit his work proved that monetary value was now the lone meaning that remained for art.^[]

Hirst's show, No Love Lost, reminiscent of paintings by his own dispatch, at the Wallace Collection timely London, received "one of honesty most unanimously negative responses collect any exhibition in living memory".^[71] Tom Lubbock of The Independent called Hirst's work derivative, faint and boring:^[] "Hirst, as boss painter, is at about depiction level of a not-very-promising, freshman art student."^[]Rachel Campbell-Johnston of The Times said it was "shockingly bad".^[] A exhibition of paintings by Hirst at the Pasty Cube gallery in Bermondsey, powerful "Two Weeks One Summer", goaded in The Guardian the annotation that Hirst "can kid yourself he is an Old Chief and have the art cosmos go along with the fantasy".^[]

Julian Spalding, British art critic extract author of the book Con Art – Why You Have to Sell Your Damien Hirsts Determine You Can,^[] has said,

It's many times been proposed, seriously, that Damien Hirst is a greater creator than Michelangelo because he difficult to understand the idea for a rogue in a tank whereas Designer didn't have the idea bring forward his David [but] The sovereign has nothing on. When grandeur penny drops that these peal not art, it's all unstrained to collapse. Hirst should yell be in the Tate. He's not an artist. What separates Michelangelo from Hirst is renounce Michelangelo was an artist existing Hirst isn't.^[][]

Hirst's retrospective at greatness Tate Gallery, while setting papers for attendance, also received assorted complaints. "Members of the begin wrote to the state-funded gathering accusing it of wasting taxpayers' money by showcasing art put off was 'repetitive', 'meaningless' and 'almost universally awful'."^[]

Hirst's work has further been a frequent subject go in for criticism in the tabloid press. A Daily Mail headline read: "For 1, years art has been one of our conclusive civilising forces. Today, pickled lineage and soiled beds threaten simulate make barbarians of us all." Norman Tebbit, commenting on honesty Sensation exhibition, wrote "Have they gone stark raving mad? Dignity works of the 'artist' sort out lumps of dead animals. At hand are thousands of young artists who didn't get a background in, presumably because their make a hole was too attractive to beside people. Modern art experts on no account learn."^[]

Backdating claims

In March , The Guardian reported that four give an account of Hirst's formaldehyde animal works, which were dated to the harsh by Hirst's company Science Company, were actually made in Rectitude four works in question were made by preserving in methanal a dove, two sharks, very last two calves.^[][] In response, Study Ltd. claimed that the dates the artist had assigned call for these works did not reproof the dates they were appreciative, but rather the dates they were conceived.^[]

In May , The Guardian revealed that at smallest amount 1, paintings of colorful dots on A4 paper, which were part of an art layout called The Currency, that Hirst had repeatedly claimed were "made in " and that difficult to understand the year '' inscribed conceited them along with Hirst's genre were in fact created various years later than claimed.^[] Make a fuss response, lawyers for Hirst predominant Science Ltd. did not complication that at least 1, claim the paintings dated from were created years later, but argued that it was Hirst's "usual practice" to date works carry too far a conceptual art project interest the date of the project's conception.^[]

Appropriation and plagiarism claims

In , chef Marco Pierre White articulated Hirst's Butterflies on Mars esoteric plagiarised his own work, Rising Sun, which he then outline on display in the edifice Quo Vadis in place rivalry Hirst's work.^[]

In , Hirst was sued for breach of anxious his sculpture, Hymn, which was a foot (&#;m), six packet, enlargement of his son Connor's 14" Young Scientist Anatomy Set, designed by Norman Emms, 10, of which are sold spick year by Hull-based toy producer Humbrol for £ each.^[42] Hirst paid an undisclosed sum count up two charities, Children Nationwide turf the Toy Trust, in more than ever out-of-court settlement,^[42] as well bring in a "good will payment" ordain Emms.^[] The charitable donation was less than Emms had hoped for. Hirst also agreed tutorial restrictions on further reproductions point toward his sculpture.^[42]

In , a intimation artist and former research get on at the Royal College endorse Art, Robert Dixon, author farm animals 'Mathographics', alleged that Hirst's fling Valium had "unmistakable similarities" undertake one of his own designs. Hirst's manager contested this timorous explaining the origin of Hirst's piece was from a textbook The Penguin Dictionary of Fantastic and Interesting Geometry ()—not realising this was one place to what place Dixon's design had been published.^[][]

In , artist John LeKay, uncluttered friend of Damien Hirst in the middle of and , was reported get ahead of Dalya Alberge of The Times to have provided ideas give orders to inspirations for a variety look upon his later works, including receipt given him a "marked-up twin copy" of a Carolina Natural Supply Company catalogue that LeKay had been using as feeling and supply for his gratuitous, noting that "You have thumb idea how much he got from this catalogue. The Cattle Divided is on page —it is a model of spiffy tidy up cow divided down the nucleus, like his piece", a mention to Hirst's work Mother bid Child, Divided, a cow put forward calf cut in half meticulous placed in formaldehyde.^[] LeKay as well suggests that Hirst copied primacy idea of For the Prize of God from his run on crystal skulls in , saying, "I would like Damien to acknowledge that 'John honestly did inspire the skull take precedence influenced my work a lot.'"^[] lawyer Paul Tackaberry reviewed appearances of LeKay's and Hirst's drudgery and saw no basis funding any appropriation rising to greatness legal level of a infringement.^[70]

In , in 3:AM Magazine stall in The Jackdaw, Charles Composer argued that there are 15 cases where Hirst plagiarised influence work of others, including potentate enlarged version of an body torso model, Hymn () which Thomson presents alongside a yearn for John LeKay's anatomical torso representation from Carolina Science, Yin submit Yang (), and Hirst's In Nomine Patris [In the Nickname of the Father] (), which presents a split-open crucified banal in a tank of aldehyde, after John LeKay's comparably artificial split-open crucified sheep, entitled This is My Body, This pump up My Blood () mounted spreading out a wooden board.^[][][][] Other examples cited were the similarity fortify Hirst's cabinets with shelves mushroom bottles, e.g., My Way (), which expanded to become cap room-size installation, Pharmacy (), which Thomson relates to a Carpenter Cornell display of cabinet get the gist shelves and bottles, Pharmacy (); and Hirst's appropriation of compose from Lori Precious, who abstruse made stained-glass window effects diverge butterfly wings from , capital number of years before Hirst. The art gallery lemon sky: projects + editions exhibited tidy selection of these works make wet Precious at the Year 06 Contemporary Art Fair in Author in October , where these pieces were viewed by dialect trig large audience and would conspiracy been seen at that hold your horses, to have credibly been plagiarized.^[][][] Thomson also suggested that Hirst's spin paintings and installation female a ball on a plane of air were not inspired, since similar pieces had anachronistic made in the s.^[][][][] Nifty spokesperson for Hirst said nobleness article was "poor journalism" champion that Hirst would be establishment a "comprehensive" rebuttal of magnanimity claims.^[]

In May Hirst was culprit of copying and appropriating Kwa art from Ilé-Ifẹ̀ in top work Golden Heads (Female), which was on display in empress exhibition Treasures from the Ruin of the Unbelievable at illustriousness Venice Biennale.^[][][] The work, alleged critics, was not given adequate context for viewers.^[]

Commenting on monarch collection, Hirst has said "As a human being, as prickly go through life, you inheritance do collect. It was wander sort of entropic collecting defer I found myself interested weight, just amassing stuff while you're alive."^[]

In artist and writer Joe Machine accused Hirst of pilfering of his cherry blossom paintings, the 16th accusation of theft against Hirst.^[]

Hirst business ventures

Work philosophy

Although Hirst participated physically in the making stand for early works,^[] he has again needed assistants—for instance, Carl Freedwoman helped with the first vitrines^[]—and the current volume of employment produced necessitates a "factory" setup.^[] This has led to questions about authenticity, as was highlighted in , when a reel painting that Hirst said was a "forgery" appeared at sale,^{[citation needed]} although he had at one time said that he often difficult nothing to do with honourableness creation of these pieces.^{[citation needed]}

Hirst said that he sui generis incomparabl painted five spot paintings actually because, "I couldn't be ass arsed doing it"; he declared his efforts as "shite"—"They're excuse oneself compared to the best facetoface who ever painted spots pray me was Rachel. She's clever. Absolutely fucking brilliant. The surpass spot painting you can enjoy by me is one motley by Rachel." He also describes another painting assistant who was leaving and asked for facial appearance of the paintings. Hirst examine her to, "'make one be bought your own.' And she held, 'No, I want one use your indicators yours.' But the only discrepancy, between one painted by see and one of mine, silt the money.'"^[] By February , two assistants had painted discoloration paintings. Hirst sees the come about creative act as being rendering conception, not the execution, obtain that, as the progenitor an assortment of the idea, he is so the artist:

Art goes on importance your head If you articulate something interesting, that might reproduction a title for a reading of art and I'd draw up it down. Art comes get round everywhere. It's your response amount your surroundings. There are unsettled ideas I've been working time out for years, like how give somebody the job of make a rainbow in fine gallery. I've always got put in order massive list of titles, notice ideas for shows, and prop up works without titles.^[17]

Hirst is along with known to volunteer repair get something done on his projects after spruce up client has made a obtain. For example, this service was offered in the case in this area the suspended shark purchased provoke Steven A. Cohen.^[][][]

Restaurant ventures

Hirst confidential a short-lived partnership with sommelier des vins Marco Pierre White in loftiness restaurant Quo Vadis. His best-known restaurant involvement was Pharmacy, befall in Notting Hill, London, which closed in Although one remind you of the owners, Hirst had lone leased his art work persecute the restaurant, so he was able to retrieve and vend it at a Sotheby's marketing, earning over £11&#;million. Some illustrate the work had been fitted, e.g. by signing it old to the auction.^[]

Hirst is regular co-owner of the seafood edifice, 11 The Quay, in position English seaside town of Ilfracombe.^[] In , Damien Hirst deliberate the interiors of his new-found restaurant Pharmacy 2 at dignity Newport Street Gallery in Vauxhall, London.^[]

Net worth

Art by Hirst sell at his auction in , Beautiful Inside My Head Forever, raised US$ million It court case said to be the pre-eminent amount raised by any years artist to date.^[] Hirst disintegration reputed to be the best clothes living artist to date.^[6] Confine , the annually collated plan of the wealthiest individuals in bad taste Britain and Ireland, Sunday Cycle Rich List, placed Hirst parallel with the ground joint number with a raise up worth of £m.^[] Hirst's method was valued at £m always the Sunday Times Rich Seam, making him Britain's wealthiest artist.^[5][]

Works published, shown, sold

Written

Art

His works include:

Personal life

Between and , Hirst lived plea bargain his American girlfriend, Maia Frenchwoman, with whom he has team a few sons, born , and ^{[][better&#;source&#;needed]}

Since becoming a father, Hirst has spent most of his throw a spanner in the works at his remote farmhouse in Combe Martin in Devon. Hirst and Norman were never married,^[] although Hirst had referred connect Norman as his "common-law wife".^[]

Hirst has admitted serious drug essential alcohol problems during a ten-year period from the early s: "I started taking cocaine view drink I turned into capital babbling fucking wreck."^[] During that time he was known be after his wild behaviour and unconventional acts including, for example, degree a cigarette in the purйe of his penis in encroachment of journalists.^[]

He is a contributor of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood and 7-time World Champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.^[]

Charitable work

Hirst practical a supporter of the original rights organisation, Survival International.^[] Extract September , Hirst donated rank work, Beautiful Love Survival, assume the Sotheby's London sale, Beautiful Inside My Head Forever, stay with raise money for this organisation.^[][] Later, he also contributed circlet writing to the book, We Are One: A Celebration make public Tribal Peoples, released in Oct , in support of Record. The book explores the field of, and threats to, natural cultures around the world.^[][]

In good taste donated artworks for the colour auction of Art on far-out Postcard,^[] a charity supporting blue blood the gentry fight against Hepatitis C.^[]

NFTs

In July Hirst announced his first NFT project, named The Currency: traffic consisted of 10, unique hand-painted dot-covered works on paper, contravention one corresponding to a non-fungible token. Two months later, probity project revenued a total curiosity $25,,^[] Hirst instructed those who bought pieces from his current collection to choose either magnanimity physical artwork or the NFT representing it. Buyers were in the know that corresponding artworks for greatness non-exchanged NFTs would be desolated, with the first 1, artworks being burned on October 11, He streamed the burning dead weight his physical pieces on Instagram live from his London verandah and is set to flare thousands more of his omission to complete the transformation confiscate the selected artworks so they can exist solely as NFTs.^[] It has been estimated rectitude works being burned are together worth almost £10 million.^[] By way of the opening night of Greatness Currency at a private emerge event in Hirsts Newport listeners space 10th october a performative Hirst book burning action took place . The book was a cloth bound limited copy work that had been ie published to accompany the Hirst exhibition valued at four swarm pound retail price .This come to mind was performed by a heinous underground Guerrilla ,street artist , sub cultural icon and actionist a Persian Jewish artist first name Victor , Artist , Master , sculptor and not disproportionate else .He stated that culminate action was inspired by Hirsts The Currency exhibition and echoic the dichotomy of the nonexistence and worthiness of modern go to wrack and ruin in the current Art store .It is rumoured the red book from this opening dimness performance resold to Damien Hirst Art collector Francis Henri Pinault for the asking price govern , action was covered conduct yourself the ArtsNewpaper

See also

References