The sparkling pop-art laughing skull is an iconic contemporary memento mori silkscreen print with genuine glittering diamond dust by Damien Hirst. The jovial skull lights up the room with twinkling refraction and edgy subject matter, the blue chip artwork is signed by the artist on the center front and is of a limited edition. This quintessential punk meets contemporary piece shines with refined details and captivating presence that evokes awe in the viewer as the ever changing nature of the brilliant diamond dust brings it to life. The artwork depicts the legendary sculpture by Hirst, ‘For the Love of God' (2007), a diamond-encrusted human skull, recognized as the most expensive work of art ever created by a living artist. The thirty-two platinum plates making up the ‘For the Love of God’ skull are set with 8,601 VVS to flawless pavé-set diamonds, weighing a massive 1,106.18 carats. Hirst intended 'For the Love of God' to be a memento mori, capitalizing upon the themes that have preoccupied Hirst throughout his career: beauty and the inevitability of death. The laughing skull serves as a reminder that our mortal existence on earth is transient and that looking at death should allow the living to be thrown back into life with vigor and energy. The magical contemporary artwork arrives ready for installation in a custom made frame in a black lacquer finish and museum caliber non-glare UV protective glass.

Damien Hirst is a British contemporary master artist and entrepreneur recognized for his iconic artworks that have defined the contemporary art world for over a decade. His varied practice, which includes installation, sculpture, painting, and drawing, explores the complex relationships between life, death, art, religion, and science. Hirst was born in Bristol in 1965 and grew up in Leeds, England. In 1984, he moved to London, where he worked in construction before enrolling at Goldsmiths University of London, in 1986 to study fine art. While at Goldsmiths, Hirst organized the independent student exhibition 'Freeze', which has become legendary as the originating moment of the Young British Artists (YBAs). 'Freeze', which exhibited Hirst’s first spot paintings, launched Hirst and 15 of his fellow students to fame, making their place in art history. In 1991, Charles Saatchi, offering to fund Hirst’s artwork, mounted the first Young British Artists (YBA) exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London. Among the works 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 global sensation. As a result of the show, Hirst was nominated for that year's Turner Prize. Hirst later won the Turner Prize in 1995 for the work, 'Mother and Child Divided'. Known best for his use of symbols, the 'Universal Triggers' utilized throughout his career have instant relatability in connection with universal questions about life, death, love and everything in between. Hirst is well recognized for his spot paintings, medicine cabinet motifs, brightly colored spin paintings, kaleidoscopic butterflies, large-scale sculptural installations and diamond-encrusted skulls. Since 1987, there have been over 80 solo Damien Hirst exhibitions that have taken place worldwide and his work has been included in over 260 group shows. Damien Hirst's impact on the art world has had a similar effect to that of the contemporary masters before him, with similarities to be drawn from the monumental pop art work of Andy Warhol, the street-art sensation installation master Keith Haring, the expressive and vibrant paintings of Jean-Michel Basquiat, and innovative approach of Marcel Duchamp. Damien Hirst continues to work and create art in the present day, with his recent focus primarily on paintings. To learn more about Damien Hirst and see other available artworks, please visit our website: www.artoncontemporary.com