Gina Bellman

YBAs = provocative. The collective of artists who came up in London in the late 1980s and early ’90s — commonly referred to as the Young British Artists (YBAs) — have made their indelible mark on the art world and continue to produce work that both challenges the viewer and seduces collectors the world over.

Damien Hirst played the role of pioneer in 1988 by organizing “Freeze,” the first of several artist-curated group shows held in abandoned warehouses across London. Most of the artists participating in these early exhibitions — among them Sarah Lucas, Gary Hume, Liam Gillick, Mat Collishaw, Sam Taylor-Wood (now generating more buzz for her directorial work on the film 50 Shades of Grey), and Hirst himself — were graduates of Goldsmiths, University of London. The group’s sophisticated maturity and confidence in presenting Conceptual art with shock appeal, such as Collishaw’s Bullet Hole, a photograph that offers a disturbingly gruesome close-up of a man’s fatal wound, left a lasting impression with Charles Saatchi and other art world stalwarts.

From the beginning, Hirst was fascinated by such epic themes as death and immortality and sought to express them through unconventional, powerful gestures; his early works include A Thousand Years, 1990, in which flies feed on a bloody cow head, breed and die by electrocution within a large glass vitrine, and The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, 1991, his Jaws-inspired suspension of a great white shark in formaldehyde. Following in the footsteps of artists ranging from Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol and Jeff Koons, Hirst was inspired by mundane objects from daily life, incorporating them into his works, most famously his "Medicine Cabinets" filled with brightly packaged pills.

Notoriously dubbed an “enfant terrible” of the art world, Tracey Emin once printed a photo of Damien Hirst, stuck it on the bottom of an ashtray, and sold it as a piece of art. Represented by 1stDibs’ Lehmann Maupin Gallery since the late 1990s, Emin was a Turner Prize finalist in 1998 for My Bed, an installation showcasing her disheveled bed covered in underwear, used condoms and other debris. Overt sexuality and the emotional dynamics of love and sex have persisted as themes throughout her career, seen across the neon artworks for which she is most famous.

YBAs have never shied from using non-traditional materials or tackling controversial subject matter. Chris Ofili, a racially charged painter who re-appropriates biblical and mythological iconography, found the spotlight in 1999 when then-New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani publicly criticized the artist’s monumental depiction of an eroticized black Madonna, entitled The Holy Virgin Mary, baring a breast composed of elephant dung and surrounded by images of female genitalia. Marc Quinn reimagined the self-portrait in 1991 by casting a frozen sculpture of his head with his own blood and maintaining it in a refrigerated vitrine as if on life-support. More recently, Quinn has elicited strong reactions from a series of studies and sculptures of supermodel Kate Moss in a contorted, god-like pose.

Below, we invite you to browse our collection of original works by Hirst, Emin, Quinn, Collishaw and other YBAs — a group that knew not only how to provoke and self-promote but to create works that continue to resonate today.

Find original Young British Artists sculptures, photography, prints and other art on 1stDibs.

There’s a lot to love about black and white photography.

The unique and timeless quality of a black and white photograph accentuates any room. Some might argue that we’re naturally drawn to color photography because it’s the world we know best. This is a shared belief, particularly in the era of camera-phone photography, editing apps and the frenetic immediacy of sharing photos on social media. But when we look at black and white photography, we experience deep, rich shadows and tonal properties in a way that transfixes us. Composition and textures are crisp and engaging. We’re immediately drawn to the subjects of vintage street photography and continue to feel the emotional impact of decades-old photojournalism. The silhouettes of mountains in black and white landscape photography are particularly pronounced, while portrait photography and the skylines of urban cityscapes come to life in monochrome prints.

When decorating with fine photography, keep in mind that some color photographs may not be suitable for every space. However, you can be more daring with black and white photos. The gray tones are classic, sophisticated and generally introduce elegance to any corner of your home, which renders black and white prints amazingly versatile.

Black and white photography adapts to its surroundings like a chameleon might. A single large-scale black and white photograph above the sofa in your living room is going to work with any furniture style, and as some homeowners and designers today are working to introduce more muted tones and neutral palettes to dining rooms and bedrooms, the integration of black and white photography — a hallmark of minimalist decor — is a particularly natural choice for such a setting.

Another advantage to bringing black and white photography into your home is that you can style walls and add depth and character without worrying about disrupting an existing color scheme. Black and white photographs actually harmonize well with accent colors such as yellow, red and green. Your provocative Memphis Group lighting and bold Pierre Paulin seating will pair nicely with the black and white fine nude photography you’ve curated over the years.

Black and white photography also complements a variety of other art. Black and white photos pair well with drawings and etchings in monochromatic hues. They can also form part of specific color schemes. For example, you can place black and white prints in colored picture frames for a pop of color. And while there are no hard and fast rules, it’s best to keep black and white prints separate from color photographs. Color prints stand out in a room more than black and white prints do. Pairing them may detract attention from your black and white photography. Instead, dedicate separate walls or spaces to each.

Once you’ve selected the photography that best fits your space, you’ll need to decide how to hang the images. If you want to hang multiple photos, it’s essential to know how to arrange wall art. A proper arrangement can significantly enhance a living space.

On 1stDibs, explore a vast collection of compelling black and white photography by artists such as Mark Shaw, Jack Mitchell (a photographer you should know), Berenice Abbott and David Yarrow.