Damien Hirst, also known as the 'rock star' of the art world and is claimed to be the most richest artist living to date. He also specializes in a few fields in art such as conceptual art, installation art and painting. Through his many great artworks from sculptures to paintings and designs, he relates them mostly to his central theme of 'Death'. During the the 90s, his career was closely linked to Charles Saatchi of the Saatchi & Saatchi agency group, in which help with his rise to fame. He is also well known for being the mastermind behind making one of the most expensive artwork to make called 'For the Love of God' which is a platinum casted skull covered with 8601 flawless diamonds. Using the idea from the Aztec Turquoise, Hirst created out of what was originally an 18th century human skull, a diamond encrusted skull which weighed in at 1,106.18 carats. The only bit that still in tack from the original 18th century skull is the teeth which is also the only thing not to be covered with diamonds. Germaine Greer from the ' The Daily Telegraph' Newspaper said that [1]" Damien Hirst is a brand, because the art form of the 21st century is marketing. To develop so strong a brand on so conspicuously threadbare a rationale is hugely creative - revolutionary even."Being as he is, he has set the status of the artist to a whole new level as he approaches art in a way that makes you hate it or love it.
How Hirst's persona and his works relate to the Renaissance and concepts of mercantilism is that it shows how art is seen nowdays through his works, show a great example when both a changing point and an economic interest such as the diamonds put into a visual concept. It also shows that the bridge to from the 'Middle/Now Day and Age' to the 'Modern Age' is built through materialistic desires and continues to be built by materialistic world, which goes well with Hirst's theme of 'Death' because greed will be the death to all of those seeking more than they already have. His works also show a new form of how art is depicted which the Renaissance was about and how it could be seen by society as some form of 'celebrity' if one was an artist of some caliber and I believe will be a turning point of how art is made in the near future or taking the art perspective to a whole new level.
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_Love_of_God
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damien_Hirst
Greer, Germaine (22 September 2008)." Germaine Greer to Robert Hughes: Bob dear, Damien Hirst is just one of many artists
you dont get " The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2008/sep/22/1. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercantilism
I am in agreement with the idea of Damien Hirst's work relating to mercantilism.
ReplyDeleteWhat better way to show it than to take a skeleton, the very essence of the human and encrust it with Diamonds?
Also that Hirst chose to use the skull speaks volumes. His choice in placing a very large Diamond in the very centre of the skull says that most to me. I think it shows just exactly what is on the human mind, money, power.
"Hirst's theme of 'Death' ... greed will be the death to all of those seeking more than they already have."
Is a very powerful sentence, and perhaps his choice in using Diamonds on this skull reflects that, what with the controversy at the moment to do with 'blood diamonds,' which shows mercantilism at its very worst. Hundreds of deaths on a regular basis, all because people seek more power and wealth, therefore they are trying to export as many Diamonds as they can, no matter the cost to humanity.
Haha the Rockstar of the artworld sums it up pretty nicely. After researching Hirst for this weeks entry, I've come to see him in a different light. He's really quite down to earth and honest about his work, I read in one article where people at the hirst gallery were asking how much input he actually had in the works on display, and the curators were quite sly dodging around the question, but Hirst openly admits to not having done it.
ReplyDeleteTo me, his art is almost more like a brand of merchandise, rather then full of passion and hardwork, its more just mass produced for the money
"Greed will be the death of us all" I like this statement and it fits well with the piece of work 'For the love of God' Placing diamonds, a very sought after material with a lot of bad history behind it onto a skull is very symbolic of death and the causes of it. Having researched Damien Hirst I am quite impressed with his works and attitude toward it. He acknowledges the fact he makes work for money, something everyone desires. With his name, his brand he has the ability to import very little, ( his employees earn nothing compared to what he makes, even though they make the actual work) and he is able to sell it for insane amounts of money, thus having very good exports. He is his own empire, well said.
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