Damien Hirst Sculptures

Questions About Damien Hirst Sculptures

• Who is Damien Hirst?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  Damien Hirst is a contemporary artist. He is well-known for producing spot paintings that consist of uniform dots of color. However, he primarily works as a sculptor, creating works of art out of found objects. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Damien Hirst art.

• Why is Damien Hirst successful?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023

  Damien Hirst is successful because his works are imaginative and captivate a wide range of people, not just art aficionados. He is notorious for piquing critics and baffling the public with such pieces as his signature glass vitrines containing dead sheep or sharks in formaldehyde, and his diamond-encrusted skull, For the Love of God. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Damien Hirst art from some of the world's top galleries.

• What inspired Damien Hirst?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  Damien Hirst credits many sources of inspiration for influencing his work. Pathology textbooks, the British children's television show Blue Peter and his parochial school education inspired various projects. The sculptures and paintings of artist Margaret Mellis and the collages produced by her husband Francis Davison encouraged him to incorporate found objects into his art. Find a selection of Damien Hirst art on 1stDibs.

• Where does Damien Hirst live now?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  Damien Hirst lives in the United Kingdom. Specifically, he splits his time between residences in the cities of London, Gloucestershire and Devon. He was born in Bristol on June 7, 1965. Shop a large selection of Damien Hirst art on 1stDibs.

• Is Damien Hirst Banksy?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertFebruary 27, 2024

  No one knows if Damien Hirst is Banksy. By working in out-of-the-way locations, wearing disguises and enlisting the help of a team of support personnel to assist him, the street artist Banksy has managed to successfully conceal his identity. Some people do suspect that Damien Hirst may be the person behind the Banksy persona due to collaborations between the two. The Daily Mail newspaper identified Robin Gunningham as Banksy during the 2010s, but no one has ever confirmed that the Bristol, UK, native is the street artist. Other people believe that the street artist 3D may be Banksy. Find a diverse assortment of Banksy art on 1stDibs.

• What is Damien Hirst famous for?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  Damien Hirst is famous for creating sculptures out of found objects. One of his most well-known works is For the Love of God, a human skull encrusted with genuine diamonds. You may also recognize the colorful spot paintings that he began creating in the late 1980s. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Damien Hirst art.

• Where is Damien Hirst’s Shark?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  The original shark by Damien Hirst no longer exists. It deteriorated during the 1990s and was remade in 2006. The name of the piece is The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living. Charles Saatchi owns the new work. As of December 2021, the shark is not on public display. Shop a collection of Damien Hirst art on 1stDibs.

• Where was Damien Hirst born?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  Damien Hirst was born in Bristol, United Kingdom, on June 7, 1965. During the late 1980s and 1990s, he became famous as one of the Young British Artists who showed their works in warehouses and galleries throughout London. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Damien Hirst art.

• When was Damien Hirst born?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  Damien Hirst was born on June 7, 1965, in Bristol, United Kingdom. He gained fame as a part of the Young British Artists who exhibited their work in London in the late 1980s and early 1990s. On 1stDibs, find a selection of Damien Hirst art.

• Why is Damien Hirst’s work controversial?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertJune 15, 2023

  Damien Hirst’s art is so controversial largely because he intends for it to be. In the 1990s, Hirst said, “I can’t wait to get into a position to make really bad art and get away with it.” And indeed, he is notorious for piquing critics and baffling the public with such pieces as his signature glass vitrines containing dead sheep or sharks in formaldehyde, and his diamond-encrusted skull, For the Love of God. Working primarily in sculpture, Hirst takes after French modernist master Marcel Duchamp in his use of ready-made objects and materials, which he combines to ironic effect, and the results are met with mixed reactions. Shop a selection of Damien Hirst art from some of the world’s top galleries on 1stDibs.

• What materials does Damien Hirst use?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  Damien Hirst doesn't use any specific materials to produce his art. Instead, he employs different media that suit the subject of his work. Often, Hirst combines found objects to create collages or converts them into sculptures. He made his spot series by painstakingly applying paint to walls and other materials. Find a collection of Damien Hirst art on 1stDibs.

• What is Damien Hirst best known for?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertApril 26, 2024

  Damien Hirst is best known for his use of unconventional materials and "shock tactics" in his paintings, prints, sculptures and other works. He is notorious for piquing critics and baffling the public with such pieces as his signature glass vitrines containing dead sheep or sharks in formaldehyde and his diamond-encrusted skull, For the Love of God. Working primarily in sculpture, Hirst takes after French modernist master Marcel Duchamp in his use of ready-made objects and materials, which he combines to ironic effect. He often creates in series, as with "The Cure (Violet)" and "The Cure (Turquoise)," both from 2014, which are among several pill paintings referencing Andy Warhol's embrace of mass production. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Damien Hirst art.

• Where can I see Damien Hirst art?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertApril 22, 2024

  Where you can see Damien Hirst's art varies. His works are in the collections of major museums, including the Broad in Los Angeles, the Tate Britain in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Galleries, such as Gagosian in London, and museums, such as the Museo Jumex in Mexico City, have also hosted exhibitions of his works. Explore a range of Damien Hirst art on 1stDibs.

• Where is For the Love of God by Damien Hirst?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  For the Love of God by Damien Hirst is at the White Cube Gallery in London, United Kingdom. Hirst made the sculpture in 2007. It consists of a human skull covered in genuine diamonds. Shop a range of Damien Hirst art on 1stDibs.

• What techniques does Damien Hirst use?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022

  Damien Hirst uses a variety of techniques to create his art. His early spot paintings were paint applied directly to the walls of warehouses using mathematical calculations as a guide. Pieces from his biopsy series consisted of inkjet and gloss and found materials applied to canvas. Damien Hirst repurposes everyday objects to produce many of his sculptures. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Damien Hirst art.

• How many Damien Hirst spot paintings are there?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022

  Damien Hirst is well-known for his spot paintings, of which he created thirteen series. His first series alone, known as the “Pharmaceutical” series, totaled more than 1,000 paintings. In 2013, Hirst revealed that there are 1,365 spot paintings in existence today. Find a selection of Damien Hirst paintings from top sellers on 1stDibs.

• Who owns Damien Hirst’s For the Love of God?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022

  An anonymous group of investors owns Damien Hirst's For the Love of God as of January 2022. The group purchased the diamond-encrusted skull in August 2007. It is currently on display at the White Cube Gallery in London, UK. Find a range of Damien Hirst art on 1stDibs.

• Are Damien Hirst prints a good investment?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2024

  Whether or not Damien Hirst prints are a good investment will depend upon a range of factors such as condition, rarity and more. The British artist initially came to the attention of the art world for his curating skills, bursting onto the scene with the now legendary exhibition “Freeze,” which he organized in a derelict southeast London dock warehouse in 1988. But what earned him notoriety were his in-your-face artworks, such as a dead cow’s head and flies and a menagerie of sliced up animals, as well as his rock-and-roll lifestyle of boozing, drug taking and exhibitionism. In 2008, Hirst bypassed his established dealers and sold more than 200 works at auction for $170 million.
  
  Determining the value of any collectible depends upon a variety of aspects. Because Hirst, a former member of the Young British Artists movement, is so well-known for his provocative sculptures and other works of Conceptual art, this can have a positive effect on the long-term value of his prints.
  
  New collectors are often directed toward prints as a starting point. Accessibility, however, does not mean prints appreciate at a different pace from other mediums. The market for paintings increases parallel to the prints market. It's good to keep in mind that price is not the only practical reason to embrace the medium. Prints are often a more feasible way of acquiring works by an artist you love but who tends to create objects you could never house.
  
  Hirst has frequently landed on animals and insects when searching for subjects for his prints and other works that could capture the fragility and fleetingness of existence. His lush, blood-red series of giclée prints titled “The Empresses” contains five different editions, each named for a historical female ruler, and each printed with a complex pattern of butterflies on aluminum accented with glitter.
  
  At 1stDibs, we believe in buying what you love. Our shopping experience enables discovery and learning, whether you are a seasoned connoisseur or just beginning your collection. Buyers should keep in mind that the value of any investment is subject to fluctuation, and any investment decisions should be made according to the guidance of a financial advisor.
  
  Find a range of authentic Damien Hirst prints and other art on 1stDibs.

• How much is Damien Hirst’s shark worth?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertOctober 30, 2024

  How much Damien Hirst’s shark is worth today is unknown. However, in 2005, it sold for somewhere between $8 and $12 million. Called The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, the piece was a shark preserved in formaldehyde. In 2006, the original shark was replaced with a new specimen because it had begun to deteriorate. Its owner, Steven A. Cohen, lent the piece to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where it was displayed from 2007 to 2010. On 1stDibs, explore a variety of Damien Hirst art.

• How much is an original Damien Hirst worth?

  1 Answer
  1stDibs ExpertSeptember 16, 2024

  How much an original Damien Hirst is worth depends on its medium, size, historical significance, condition and other factors. In 2007, his Lullaby Spring sold for $19.2 million at auction. The piece is a steel and glass cabinet filled with 6,136 pills that Hirst painted by hand. It is an example of Hirst's use of found objects and materials, which he combines to ironic effect. He often creates in series, as with The Cure (Violet) and The Cure (Turquoise), both from 2014, which are among several pill paintings referencing Andy Warhol’s embrace of mass production. Lullaby Spring was an earlier exploration of a similar theme and part of Hirst's Pill Cabinet series. If you own an original Hirst, a certified appraiser or knowledgeable art dealer can evaluate it and give you an estimated value for the piece. On 1stDibs, explore a selection of Damien Hirst art.