Damien Hirst

DAMIEN HIRST, BORN 1965 IN ENGLAND, IS A CONTEMPORARY ARTIST AND ENTREPRENEUR. HIRST IS INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN FOR HIS BOLD WORK THAT EXPLORES THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LIFE, DEATH, ART, RELIGION, AND SCIENCE.  HIS VARIED PRACTICE INCLUDES INSTALLATION, SCULPTURE, PAINTING, AND DRAWING. IN 1984, HIRST MOVED FROM LEEDS TO LONDON, WHERE HE WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION BEFORE ENROLLING AT GOLDSMITHS UNIVERSITY OF LONDON TO STUDY FINE ART. AT GOLDSMITHS, HE ORGANIZED THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT EXHIBITION FREEZE, WHICH HAS BECOME LEGENDARY AS THE ORIGINATING MOMENT OF THE YOUNG BRITISH ARTISTS (YBAS). IN 1991, CHARLES SAATCHI OFFERED TO FUND HIRST’S ARTWORK AND MOUNTED THE FIRST YOUNG BRITISH ARTISTS EXHIBITION AT SAATCHI GALLERY, LONDON. AMONG THE WORKS HIRST EXHIBITED WAS 'THE PHYSICAL IMPOSSIBILITY OF DEATH IN THE MIND OF SOMEONE LIVING' (1991), A SHARK SUBMERGED IN A FORMALDEHYDE VITRINE, WHICH BECAME AN OVERNIGHT SENSATION. HIRST IS WELL RECOGNIZED FOR HIS SPOT PAINTINGS, MEDICINE CABINET MOTIFS, BRIGHTLY COLORED SPIN PAINTINGS, KALEIDOSCOPIC BUTTERFLIES, AND DIAMOND-ENCRUSTED SKULLS. SINCE 1987, OVER 80 SOLO HIRST EXHIBITIONS AND OVER 260 GROUP SHOWS WORLDWIDE. TODAY, HIRST IS THE UK'S WEALTHIEST LIVING ARTIST AND CONTINUES HIS SUCCESS IN THE CONTEMPORARY ART MARKET. HIRST CURRENTLY LIVES AND WORKS IN LONDON.