Hirst painted the first of the series in 1986 while a student at Goldsmiths College in London. It is a drippy bunch of spots painted on board that has a graffiti feel and, according to some critics, is far more visceral, or at least more sincere, than the 1500+ variations that have been cranked out by Hirst and his assistants in the 25 years since then. Hirst is adored by some and criticized by others as an excessive, egotistical huckster.
Dan Fox of Frieze said of one of the New York exhibits:
It was like eating a vanilla ice-cream in a branch of Gap stocked with a particularly beige seasonal clothing range. You might think that ‘beige’ is the wrong choice of word to describe these works, especially given that Hirst has described himself as a colourist...And yet, seeing so many of them together in the same gallery spaces, ‘beige’ seemed to be the perfect description; together, these works were joyless and bland.
Ben Davis said, in "A Reluctant Defense of Damien Hirst's Spot Painting Spectacular":
Death, as everyone knows, is Hirst’s theme. Sometimes it is literal death, as in the pickled animals or the pills or the skull imagery. Sometimes, however, it is a more metaphorical death, the hollowing out of subjectivity. This is the case with the spin and the spot paintings. In all cases, the point is that something dead confronts you...Some I actually think are kind of good paintings, with a deadpan cool that I find appealing. But as a total project, the “Global Spot Show” experiment actually makes a kind of sense. Seeing the works in depth emphasizes that they are basically about individuality — a nearly annihilated individuality — sparking against the background of precise and merciless repetition.
Ultimately, art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. So what do you think? Is it art...or just smart marketing?
From artnewsworldwide.com, huffingtonpost.com, blog.frieze.com and nytimes.com
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| Spot Painting, 1986 arrestedmotion.com |
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| Levorphanol, 1995 culturedivine.com |
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| Eucatropine Web, 2005 fashion.elle.com |
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| Zirconyl Chloride, 2008 artslant.com |
Some of Hirst's other controversial pieces include a shark suspended in formaldyhyde, a picture of pills and a diamond encrusted skull.
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| The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, 1991 huffingtonpost.com |
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| Lullaby, The Seasons, 2002 telegraph.co.uk |
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| For the Love of God, 2007 huffingtonpost.com |
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| "Spot badges" worn by Hirst fans artinfo.com |
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| Street artist Banksy's take on Hirst's work telegraph.co.uk |
I've been a long time admirer of Hirst & his spots, and proud owner of a set. On the surface they seem so simple, but theres an underlying complexity, system, & evolution to his process that I've continued to find rather intriguing.
ReplyDeleteCheers ~ Lara
I find it fascinating that the same color can never be used twice in one work, no matter how large. Colors can be close...but never the same.
DeleteI like how his work questions and reflects societies thoughts on contemporary culture.
ReplyDeleteArt should make us respond, either way, up/down, left or right! Thanks Dana for tomorrows Art lesson, the kids will love it! Xx
My former students would have loved the diamond encrusted skull and the shark.
DeleteIs it art? I say it depends on the person viewing it, simple as that. There is a fellow up here who takes rather mundane scenery photos i.e. the strip mall, his house, gas station and then recreates the photo in paint on 4x6 pieces of wood. Is it art or a copy of the photo. If it provokes emotion I'd call it art.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I featured an artist not long ago who actually paints over photographs, and people seemed to love her work.
DeleteI remember hearing my parents' generation say Picasso's work wasn't art and the Beatles weren't playing real music, yet few have been more influential than they were.
I swear I think I've seen his work in real life! Hubby & I make a point of going to an art museum/gallery every where we travel. I actually like the street artist's take - there's more humour in it. I like the circles because they appeal to me aesthetically, but I'm not always appreciative of art that is somewhat dark or contemplates death.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Banksy fan, so I thought that was funny too. From what I've read, Hirst's mother isn't a big fan of his more obviously dark works. Reportedly, the title of the piece came from his mother, who said, “For the love of God, what are you going to do next?”
DeleteThat title makes me laugh - what a neat tidbit! Do you like his work for the visual impact alone or are you moved by the thematic content too?
DeleteHonestly, at first I was one of his detractors and tended to agree with Banksy, but after researching this post, some of his spot pictures started to grow on me a little, which I think is the result of the color and order. I'm still not a fan of the dead animals and skulls. I sometimes think artists make up a lofty theme after the fact to lend legitimacy to their more sensational and controversial work.
DeleteOh my gosh I'm so happy you wrote that. I feel the same way! Sometimes a political message (or whatever message) comes across through art in a way that feels genuine but sometime it feels forced. I was curious what you thought. Me? I just like these spots because they're pretty . . . which might make some artists shriek!
DeleteI think there's an element of The Emperor's New Clothes in much that goes on in the art and entertainment world. A lot of times, people say they like or understand something because they think it's supposed to be cool to like or understand it.
DeleteI feel the same way about food and drink that people describe as "an acquired taste." If something isn't good the first time I taste it, then I don't put it in my mouth a second time just to look suave. As a result, I don't drink beer, extremely dry wine or scotch. :)
I like the first one - Spot Painting, 1986 very much. x
ReplyDeleteI can see why some critics consider that one his most honest work.
DeleteWho doesn't love an excessive egotistical huckster? We don't appreciate art because of the artist. We appreciate it because it speaks to us, whether intellectually or emotionally. Thanks for the reminder of what a great creator Hirst is. I heart Damien too. Need a button!
ReplyDeleteI think it's the nature of the artistic beast to be somewhat egotistical. And there's nothing wrong with having a knack for selling your art. Being a starving artist is only glamorous after you're dead. :)
DeleteI think I need a couple of those spot paintings to hang on my freshly painted white walls! I don't suppose that will happen unless I paint them myself.
ReplyDeleteAs talented as you are, I bet you could do just that!
DeleteYour post is so timely as only last week we popped along to Tate Modern in London to see the Damien Hirst Retrospective - the first substantial survey of his work in a British institution bringing together key works from over twenty years. It was all there - the spots (including his first spot painting which you've included in your post), the cow, sheep, sharks, etc. We're glad we went along to see what all the fuss was about .... come on, it's not everyday you get to walk between the two halves of a bisected cow!
ReplyDeleteYes, I'd say that's probably an experience you're not likely to have again in this lifetime...LOL So what was your opinion of Hirst when you left the show?
DeleteUgh. I can't stand Damien Hirst, although if someone offered me that skull for free, I'd take it...
ReplyDeleteI did like Banksy for a minute, but I'm pretty sure he's idiot too, but I think he's a more interesting idiot than Hirst.
I've thought several times myself that the skull would make several pretty spectacular pieces of jewelry...LOL
DeleteI did like Banksy's street artist documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop, mainly because the success of Thierry Guetta's show demonstrates how gullible people can be about "art." (Useless trivia: There was a Mr. Brainwash tag right across the street from our old store location.)
I liked the movie too; it was really interesting critique on society. I think the whole group of the artists mentioned in the movie use brainwashing techniques and it's so easy to do, all you need is a little energy, which I wasted all mine a few years back.
ReplyDeleteI really do like Banky's whole deal...I think it's funny that people are paying millions to an anonymous artist. I think his marketing is very clever.
Whether the Mr. Brainwash character was a giant hoax perpetrated by Banksy with Shepard Fairey as an accomplice, or if Thierry Guetta lucked into success and fortune in spite of his seemingly inane behavior, or even if he's a true marketing genius, the film shows how easy it is to hornswoggle the public. Having seen in the film how haphazardly that first show was thrown together at the very last minute with almost no significant input from Guetta...except the hype...the gullibility of the public was almost painful to watch.
ReplyDelete