Damien Hirst
British·b. 1965
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Damien Hirst (born 1965) is a British artist and the most prominent member of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the 1990s art scene. Born in Bristol and raised in Leeds, he studied at Goldsmiths in London and organized the landmark Freeze exhibition in 1988 while still a student. Charles Saatchi became his early patron.
Hirst's work deals obsessively with death. His shark in formaldehyde, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991), became an icon of contemporary art. His spin paintings, spot paintings, and medicine cabinets have made him one of the wealthiest living artists. For the Love of God (2007), a platinum skull covered in 8,601 diamonds, reportedly cost £14 million to produce.
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About Damien Hirst
The shark in formaldehyde, formally titled The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991). A 14-foot tiger shark preserved in a glass tank, it became a defining symbol of 1990s British art.
Hirst is the most prominent of the Young British Artists (YBAs), who emerged in London in the late 1980s and 90s. The group, backed by collector Charles Saatchi, included Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas, and Chris Ofili.
Major works are in private collections and at Tate Modern in London. Hirst also runs his own exhibition space, Newport Street Gallery in Vauxhall, London.
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