Rankin and Damien Hirst

Painted Skulls - Eyes closed, black and colorful faces naked woman

Rankin and Damien Hirst are both world-renowned British artists in their own right. In 2011, the two combined their talents in a collaboration called “Myths, Monsters and Legends.” The project consisted of a series of color photographs inspired by ancient mythology and presented through a modern lens. The photographs were exhibited at Rankin Gallery in Los Angeles and Annroy Gallery in London.

John Rankin Waddell, known simply as Rankin, is a prolific photographer whose portfolio includes shots of some of the biggest celebrities in the world, like Madonna, David Bowie and Kate Moss. He is known for his high-gloss and often highly sexualized style. Damien Hirst is a contemporary artist who rose to prominence in the 1990s with the Young British Artists. His controversial creations catapulted him to international fame, such as sharks suspended in formaldehyde and skulls covered with diamonds.

The two visionaries are longtime friends with a shared love of the ancient world. While they had both pursued boundary-pushing approaches to art in their careers, “Myths, Monsters and Legends” was the first time they worked on a project together. In an interview with Dazed, Rankin said that the collaboration went smoothly due to mutual trust, respect and admiration for one another. 

The collaboration would not have been the success it was without the third member of the team: muse and model Dani Smith. Hirst, who had worked with her previously, knew she would be perfect for the project. Smith was integral to the creation process, as the artistic pair shaped the mythical and legendary monsters around her beauty. Rankin and Hirst credit her with bringing the creatures and, by extension, the photographs to life.

“Myths, Monsters and Legends” represented a long-awaited pairing of two giants in the art world. A book of the same name accompanied the project and featured high-quality images of the photographs.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Rankin and Damien Hirst photography.