Person Biography:
Damien Hirst was born to a family that considered him a rebel from an early age. Despite this, his artistic talent emerged, and he studied fine art at Goldsmiths College in London from 1986 to 1989. During his time at Goldsmiths, Hirst was given the responsibility of planning an exhibition, "Freeze", which featured his own work and that of his fellow students. The exhibition caught the attention of Charles Saatchi, who began to promote Hirst's work.
Hirst's first solo exhibition took place in 1991 at the Woodstock Street Gallery in London, titled "In and Out of Love". The exhibition included his first "animal installation", "A Thousand Years", which consisted of a decaying cattle head in a glass box, and maggots and flies feasting on it. The reaction to the installation was mixed, with some people praising the innovation and others expressing disgust.
In 1992, Hirst exhibited his work at the Saatchi Gallery in north London, including "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living", a shark preserved in formaldehyde, and "A Thousand Years". The exhibition received significant public interest, and Hirst continued to work on installing animals preserved in formaldehyde, creating works such as "Away from the Flock", a sheep in a formaldehyde bath.
Hirst's work continued to spark controversy, with animal rights activists protesting against his use of animals in his installations. In 1995, Hirst was awarded the Turner Prize, which further fueled public debate about his work. He continued to exhibit his work globally, and in 1996, he opened a restaurant, released a short film, and produced a pop music album.
In addition to his art, Hirst has also been involved in charity work and has written an autobiography, "I Want to Spend the Rest of My Life Everywhere, with Everyone, One to One, Always, Forever, Now". He has also been the subject of controversy regarding the authenticity of his works, with some questioning whether he has actually created many of the pieces himself.
Despite the controversy, Hirst has become one of the richest artists in the world, with an estimated fortune of over a billion dollars. He has continued to exhibit his work globally, and in 2020, he received a solo exhibition at the Fondation Cartier in Paris for his new paintings of "Cherry Blossoms".
