DAMIEN HIRST AND THE CONTROVERSIES OF HIS ART Essay

DAMIEN HIRST AND THE CONTROVERSIES OF HIS ART

The notion of what is art fluctuates over and over again. The last century was, on the whole, a period of endless artistic shifts that led to a vast variety of inventions that expanded the term ART. In the second half of the 20th century it became much more accessible economically speaking and therefore it drew people’s attention massively . As a result, the issue arose a debate of what could be recognised as a piece of art. Nowadays, there are some new creators that have taken a step beyond and somehow revolutionized the whole issue again: Thousands of volunteers pictured naked in public places, real dead bodies’ exhibitions with their skin ripped, human figues made out of garbage, etc. For whatever the reason, they’ve achieved popularity, recognition - and large sums of money. However, the elite group is set by only three individuals who move the art market as no one else. Jeff Koons, Marc Quinn and Damien Hirst are, by far, the richest artists alive ever, as works such as a plastic-looking metallic dolphin, Kate’s Moss golden statue or a zebra in a formaldehyde tank   have reached a price never seen before. In this sort of competition, Damien Hirst has become the wealthiest artist alive as some of his pieces haven been recently auctioned for over 18 million dollars. The 43 year old man started off as an unemployed wanna-be celebrity who always thought he’d never succeed in this business (Bad Boy Makes Good: Damien Hirst, www.time.com) and earnt his daily bread carrying out by experimenting with animals. In a recent auction at Sotheby’s house, he sol over 200   pieces and broke any previous record with regard to the money obtained. This led to a world-wide debate that questioned to what extent the artist was genuinely committed to the art itself or just a businessman whose aim was gathering most wealth that any other before. This essay will explore the borderlines that separate art from business concerning Damien’s...