Damien Hirst est un artiste anglais né en 1965. Diplomé du Goldsmiths College de Londres en 1989, il reçoit le Turner Price en 1995. Il est un des leaders du groupe des « Young British Artists », mouvement artistique connu pour ses œuvres provocantes. Damien Hirst est un artiste éclectique. Il peint, sculpte, travaille sur des impressions et sur des installations. Ces multiples media lui permettent d’explorer les relations entre l’art, la vie et la mort. La mort revient de façon quasi-obsessionnelle dans son travail. Elle peut être choquante et prendre la forme d’une tête de vache rongée par les mouches (A Thousand Year), d’un requin conservé dans du formol (The physical impossibility of death in the mind of someone living), d’un cabinet de pharmacie (Medicine Cabinet). Mais elle peut être aussi poétique et prendre l’apparence d’un crâne humain incrusté de diamants (For the Love of God) ou d’une vanité envahie par un chaos de couleurs (Beautiful Hours Painting). D’autres de ses oeuvres par leurs couleurs et leur pureté contrastent. Il en va ainsi des Butterfly paintings, toiles parsemées de papillons qui rappellent la fragilité et la beauté de la vie ou des diamond cabinets. La joie, l’énergie et la couleur se retrouvent dans deux autres de ses séries. Les spot paintings, ses tableaux les plus célèbres, sont des alignements de points de couleurs différentes dont le diamètre est égal à la distance qui les sépare. Ces œuvres sont pour l’artiste « une façon de définir exactement la joie des couleurs ». Les Spin Paintings sont des peintures crées à partir d’une machine qui utilise la force centrifuge. De la peinture de couleur est versée sur un support en rotation. Le résultat est hypnotisant : toutes les couleurs se mélangent et forment une explosion psychédélique. Damien Hirst, par son talent et son originalité, bénéficie d’une renommée internationale. Son travail est exposé dans de nombreuses galeries ainsi que dans des musées à travers le monde. Étudiant, il a lui même organisé l’exposition "Freeze" en 1988. En 2008, il fait scandale en vendant aux enchères 233 de ses œuvres pour un montant total de 140 millions d’euros.
Damien Hirst is an English artist born in 1965. He graduated from Goldsmiths College in London in 1989 and received the Turner Price in 1995. He is one of the leaders of the "Young British Artists" artistic movement known for its provocative works. Damien Hirst is an eclectic artist. He paints, sculpts, works on prints and installations. These multiple media allow him to explore the relationship between art, life and death. Death returns almost obsessively in his work. It can be shocking and take the form of a cow's head eaten by flies (A Thousand Year), a shark preserved in formaldehyde (The physical impossibility of death in the mind of someone living) or a medicine cabinet (Medicine Cabinet). But it can also be poetic and take the appearance of a human skull encrusted with diamonds (For the Love of God) or a vanity invaded by a chaos of colors (Beautiful Hours Painting). Other of his works by their colors and their purity contrast. This is the case with the Butterfly paintings, which are strewn with butterflies that recall the fragility and beauty of life or the diamond cabinets. Joy, energy and color are found in two other of his series. The spot paintings, his most famous paintings, are alignments of dots of different colors whose diameter is equal to the distance between them. These works are for the artist "a way to define exactly the joy of colors". Spin paintings are paintings created from a machine that uses centrifugal force. Colored paint is poured onto a rotating support. The result is hypnotizing: all the colors mix and form a psychedelic explosion. Damien Hirst's talent and originality have earned him international recognition. His work is exhibited in numerous galleries and museums around the world. As a student, he organized the "Freeze" exhibition in 1988. In 2008 he caused a scandal by selling 233 of his works at auction for a total of 140 million euros.
Damien Hirst is an English artist born in 1965. He graduated from Goldsmiths College in London in 1989 and received the Turner Price in 1995. He is one of the leaders of the "Young British Artists" artistic movement known for its provocative works. Damien Hirst is an eclectic artist. He paints, sculpts, works on prints and installations. These multiple media allow him to explore the relationship between art, life and death. Death returns almost obsessively in his work. It can be shocking and take the form of a cow's head eaten by flies (A Thousand Year), a shark preserved in formaldehyde (The physical impossibility of death in the mind of someone living) or a medicine cabinet (Medicine Cabinet). But it can also be poetic and take the appearance of a human skull encrusted with diamonds (For the Love of God) or a vanity invaded by a chaos of colors (Beautiful Hours Painting). Other of his works by their colors and their purity contrast. This is the case with the Butterfly paintings, which are strewn with butterflies that recall the fragility and beauty of life or the diamond cabinets. Joy, energy and color are found in two other of his series. The spot paintings, his most famous paintings, are alignments of dots of different colors whose diameter is equal to the distance between them. These works are for the artist "a way to define exactly the joy of colors". Spin paintings are paintings created from a machine that uses centrifugal force. Colored paint is poured onto a rotating support. The result is hypnotizing: all the colors mix and form a psychedelic explosion. Damien Hirst's talent and originality have earned him international recognition. His work is exhibited in numerous galleries and museums around the world. As a student, he organized the "Freeze" exhibition in 1988. In 2008 he caused a scandal by selling 233 of his works at auction for a total of 140 million euros.