Ralph Richardson
British actor (1902-1983)
Damien Hirst is a renowned British artist and art collector who rose to fame as part of the Young British Artists (YBAs) group in the 1990s. He is known for his conceptual artworks, particularly his use of preserved animals in formaldehyde. Hirst is reportedly the UK’s richest living artist, with a net worth estimated at $384 million in 2020.
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About the Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirstis an English artist and art collector. He is one of the Young British Artistswho dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingdom’s richest living artist, with his wealth estimated at US$384 million in the 2020 Sunday Times Rich List. During the 1990s his career was closely linked with the collector Charles Saatchi, but increasing frictions came to a head in 2003 and the relationship ended.
Death is a central theme in Hirst’s works. He became famous for a series of artworks in which dead animalsare preserved, sometimes having been dissected, in formaldehyde. The best-known of these was The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, a 14-foottiger shark immersed in formaldehyde in a clear display case.
In September 2008, Hirst made an unprecedented move for a living artist by selling a complete show, Beautiful Inside My Head Forever, at Sotheby’s by auction and bypassing his long-standing galleries. The auction raised PS111 million ($198 million), breaking the record for a one-artist auction as well as Hirst’s own record with PS10.3 million for The Golden Calf, an animal with 18-carat gold horns and hooves, preserved in formaldehyde.
Since 1999, Hirst’s works have been challenged and contested as plagiarised 16 times. In one instance, after his sculpture Hymn was found to be closely based on a child’s toy, legal proceedings led to an out-of-court settlement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Damien Hirst is an English artist and art collector who is one of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingdom’s richest living artist, with his wealth estimated at US$384 million in the 2020 Sunday Times Rich List.
Damien Hirst is best known for his conceptual artworks, particularly his use of preserved animals in formaldehyde. His most famous work is ,The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living,, which features a 14-foot tiger shark preserved in formaldehyde.
Death is a central theme in Damien Hirst’s works. He became famous for a series of artworks in which dead animals (including a shark, a sheep, and a cow) are preserved, sometimes having been dissected, in formaldehyde.
During the 1990s, Damien Hirst’s career was closely linked with the collector Charles Saatchi, but increasing frictions came to a head in 2003 and the relationship ended. In 2008, Hirst made an unprecedented move for a living artist by selling a complete show, ,Beautiful Inside My Head Forever,, at Sotheby’s by auction and bypassing his long-standing galleries.
Yes, since 1999, Damien Hirst’s works have been challenged and contested as plagiarised 16 times. In one instance, after his sculpture ,Hymn, was found to be closely based on a child’s toy, legal proceedings led to an out-of-court settlement.
21 Quotes by Damien Hirst
- 1.
It’d be nice to make lots of money but it’s quite difficult, because every time I make lots of money I make a bigger piece that costs lots of money.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 2.
There’s no possible way you can get what you want.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 3.
My Mum brought me up to believe that if you look after the pennies then the pounds look after themselves, and I could never do it.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 4.
I made one untitled piece.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 5.
I think an ashtray is the most fantastically real thing.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 6.
The goal in life is to be solid, whereas the way that life works is totally fluid, so you can never actually achieve that goal.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 7.
It’s such a crass idea – you’re either in love or out of love.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 8.
Sometimes when you’re drunk you can see better.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 9.
A lot of people thought I wasn’t doing anything because I was spending a lot of time socialising and going out, but I’ve always managed to get work actually done.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 10.
It’s good to have a title that’s not just one word. If you’re gonna title it, you might as well try and say something.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 11.
I think suicide is the most perfect thing you can do in life.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 12.
Artists are like everybody else.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 13.
I always feel like the art’s there and I just see it, so it’s not really a lot of work.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 14.
But I’m more interested in why people are frightened by Jaws and why Jaws was such a hit than saying Spielberg’s my main influence.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 15.
I always ignore money.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 16.
But whenever I look at the question of how to live, the answer’s always staring me in the face. I’m already doing it.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 17.
Most people live in the city and go to the country at the weekend, and that’s posh and aristocratic, but actually to live in the country and come to London when you can’t take it any more is different.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 18.
So smoking is the perfect way to commit suicide without actually dying. I smoke because it’s bad, it’s really simple.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 19.
Immortality is really desirable, I guess. In terms of images, anyway.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 20.
But the answer to how to live is to stop thinking about it. And just to live. But you’re doing that anyway. However you intellectualise it, you still just live.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist
- 21.
In an artwork you’re always looking for artistic decisions, so an ashtray is perfect. An ashtray has got life and death.
Damien HirstEnglish sculptor and installation hampartist