Damien Hirst (b. 1965) is one of the most influential and provocative artists of the contemporary era, renowned for redefining the relationship between art, life, and mortality. Emerging in the late 1980s as a leading figure of the Young British Artists, Hirst has established a body of work that spans painting, sculpture, installation, and printmaking. His art consistently challenges perceptions of beauty and permanence, placing him firmly within the art-historical canon of the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Hirst’s career was launched with the now-legendary Freeze exhibition in 1988, which introduced his conceptual approach and positioned him as a central voice in a new generation of British art. His iconic works, from the formaldehyde-preserved animals to For the Love of God (2007), a diamond-encrusted skull, have captured global attention and become symbols of contemporary artistic ambition. In parallel, his paintings have ranged from the precisely executed Spot and Butterfly series to gestural abstractions that demonstrate a command of rhythm and color. His mixed media unique works, often incorporating unexpected materials, reveal a sustained fascination with science, faith, and the fragility of existence. His extensive practice in prints further expands this dialogue, allowing experimentation with repetition, scale, and precision.
Hirst has been the subject of major retrospectives and solo exhibitions at leading institutions, underscoring his international stature. In 2012, Tate Modern presented Damien Hirst, a landmark retrospective that drew record audiences. His monumental project Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable (2017) was staged simultaneously at Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana in Venice, offering an ambitious blend of history, myth, and spectacle. His works are also held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Tate Collection, London, and the Centre Pompidou, Paris, among many others.
As a continually evolving artist, Hirst remains an active force in today’s cultural landscape. His exhibitions attract international acclaim, and his practice continues to expand the possibilities of contemporary art. Whether through painting, sculpture, mixed media, or editioned works, Hirst’s art stands as both historically significant and enduringly relevant.
