Assessment of Damien Hirst's Artistic Works
Deborah Silverman’s article is an in-depth assessment of the artistic works of Damien Hirst. Mr. Hirst is an English artist who revolutionized the art scene by his unique art. It is evident that his work was influenced by his experiences such as working as an assistant morgue attendant in his teenage years. It seems that handling dead bodies each day made him familiar with death. One of his art pieces has an image which he took with a “dead head.” Silverman’s thesis is that “extremism facilitated Hirst’s ascendancy and allowed his art to flourish in unprecedented ways” (Silverman 392).
Hirst's Extremist Artworks
Firstly, it is noteworthy that Hirst’s artworks were extremist. They were not what people had been familiar with in the past. In fact, it took years before the art collector Charles Saatch stumbled upon his work. He provided Hirst a platform to advertise his work. Examples of the pieces of art showcased at an exhibition were the giant shark and a human skull adorned with 8601 flawless diamonds. The giant shark featured as “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” was sold for 8.3 million US dollars to Barracuda Steve. On the other hand, Hirst used 23 million US dollars to create the human skull (Silverman 399). The human skull, also known as “For the Love of God” was sold for 100 million dollars! It seemed that Hirst’s art resonated with people after all. However, a challenge in his career has been discussions to abolish the use of the formaldehyde chemical which forms a key part of his artwork. His focus on skulls and dead bodies of people and animals has led to him being thought to have a “Heart of Darkness.” Hence, Hirst’s extremism has indeed facilitated his ascendancy and allowed his art to flourish in unprecedented ways.
Work Cited
Silverman, Deborah (2011), Marketing Thanatos: Damien Hirst’s Heart of Darkness, Vol 68 (2), 391-424, Johns Hopkins Press.
