The British conceptual artist Damien Hirst has made an enduring impression on the field of modern art with his provocative and contentious examination of beauty, discovered items, and the complex interplay between life and death. Hirst, who was born in Bristol, England, on June 7, 1965, began his creative career at Goldsmiths College in London, where his avant-garde works grabbed the attention of discerning collector and gallerist Charles Saatchi, who later became a significant early backer. Hirst’s legendary masterpiece, “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” (1991), which included a massive tiger shark suspended in formaldehyde, was unveiled with Saatchi’s assistance.
His bold invention propelled him to fame all around the world and even brought him the coveted Turner Prize in 1995. Hirst’s work explores the spheres of beauty, religion, science, and the human experience while challenging conventional wisdom. His body of work extends from hypnotic serialised Spot paintings that explore the tension between serenity and anxiety to provocative pieces like “In and Out of Love” (2012), in which countless butterflies fly and die inside of white, windowless chambers. Today we are looking at few artworks by Damien Hirst that defined his career. Following are 11 of his major artworks:
1. Diacetoxyscirpenol
Courtesy: Mutual Art
Diacetoxyscirpenol, a part of Damien Hirst’s ‘Pharmaceutical’ paintings, showcases the artist’s exploration of colour harmony. Within this series, Hirst discovered the mathematical essence of art—where colours coexist independently and interact. These works exemplify his mastery in creating a unique and harmonious array of non-repeating colours, elevating the concept of spot prints highly in his body of work.
2. Liver, Bacon, Onions
Courtesy Tate.
“Liver, Bacon, Onions” by Damien Hirst challenges traditional perceptions of art by presenting a stark and unsettling tableau of everyday objects, inviting viewers to contemplate the inherent meaning within the mundane.
3. With Dead Head
Courtesy Tate
With Dead Head is a black-and-white image of the artist as a young man posing with a corpse’s head. It captures a moment from his youth, taken in a morgue at the age of sixteen. This chilling photograph reflects his early willingness to confront mortality while subtly revealing the apprehension hidden beneath his gaze.
4. Here Today Gone Tomorrow
Courtesy Artnet
The artwork is essentially glass, stainless steel, fish, fish skeletons, acrylic, MDF, paint and formaldehyde solution. Created in 2008, the artwork is one of the most expensively sold art by Hirst, at $4,670,000.
5. Memories of Moments with You
Courtesy: Widewalls
This artwork by Hirst is gold-plated steel and glass with manufactured diamonds. It was a part of several exhibitions under Tate Modern.
6. Lullaby Spring
Courtesy: Artnet
The artwork is a stainless steel and glass cabinet with painted cast pills. This work speaks of the cyclical nature of life and the certainty of death.
7. End of an Era
Courtesy: Gagosian
“End of an Era (2009) presents a severed head, starkly detached from its once-majestic form, challenging the notion of idolatry that The Golden Calf embodied. In this work, Damien Hirst dismantles the biblical narrative, deconstructing both the story and his own artistic mythos.”
8. Eternity
Courtesy: Artimage
“Eternity” by Damien Hirst immerses viewers in a contemplation of life’s impermanence, as it features meticulously arranged dead butterflies, each a symbol of fleeting beauty and the inevitable passage of time. This striking artwork invites us to confront the fragility of existence through its delicate yet haunting composition.
9. For The Love Of God
Courtesy: Wikipedia
“For the Love of God” (2007) stands as an awe-inspiring testament to Damien Hirst’s audacious artistry, a life-sized platinum skull adorned with a staggering 8,601 flawless diamonds, preserving the enigma of an eighteenth-century human skull, including its original teeth.
10. Mother And Child(Divided)
Courtesy: Tate
“Mother And Child(Divided)” by Damien Hirst is a thought-provoking floor-based sculpture that confronts the viewer with the stark presentation of a cow and calf, bisected and suspended within four glass-walled tanks filled with formaldehyde solution.
11. The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living
Courtesy: Wikipedia
“The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” (1991), commonly known as “The Shark,” is an iconic artwork by Damien Hirst. Commissioned by Charles Saatchi and later acquired by Steven A. Cohen in 2004, this piece features a preserved tiger shark in formaldehyde, symbolizing Hirst’s fusion of historical artistic influences with provocative themes like life and death.
