Damien Hirst - Artist Overview

Biography

• Name: Damien Steven Hirst
• Born: 1965, Bristol, United Kingdom
• Age: 59 years
• Education: Goldsmith's College, London
• Movement: Young British Artists (YBAs)

Art Style and Influence

• Art Forms: Installation, sculpture, painting, drawing
• Influences: Jeff Koons, Marcel Duchamp, Francis Bacon, Michael Craig-Martin
• Influences from Culture: Inspired by the punk rock band Sex Pistols

Key Themes

• Death and Mortality: Often explores these through preserved animals, skulls, and provocative materials.
• Controversy: Known for challenging art norms and using shocking imagery to provoke thought and debate.
• Pharmaceutical Influence: Uses pills in artworks to comment on modern life's complexities.

Notable Works

• "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living" - A shark in formaldehyde (1991)
• "For the Love of God" - Diamond-encrusted skull (2007)
• "Mother and Child, Divided" - Installation (1993)
• "Away from the Flock" - Installation (1994)
• "A Thousand Years" - Installation (1990)
• "Verity" - Public sculpture (2012)

Career Highlights

• YBA Movement: Prominent figure in the Young British Artists movement during the 1990s.
• Auctions: Known for bypassing galleries by auctioning art directly, setting records for sales by a living artist.
• Exhibition "Beautiful Inside My Head Forever": Sold complete show for $198 million in 2008.

Commercial Success

• Net Worth: Estimated over $700 million; considered one of the richest artists alive.
• Business Ventures: Explored fashion, film, and music, alongside art.

Personal Life

• Children: Connor Hirst, Cassius Atticus Hirst, Cyrus Joe Hirst
• Parents: Mary Brennan

Recent Activities

• New Series: "The Dreams" featuring butterflies and spin paintings
• Social Media Presence: Active on Instagram, Twitter

Public Perception

• Often seen as a controversial figure in art, blurring lines between high art and commercialization.
• Described as the "enfant terrible" of the art world due to his audacious business and artistic practices.

Legacy and Influence

• Continues to influence contemporary art with bold statements on life and death.
• His work remains a subject of critical debate and public interest.