Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Mid-Week Masters: Damien Hirst's Butterflies

Tranquility
91 x 127 in
2008

In all honesty I'm ambivalent about Damien Hirst's work in general. Don't get me wrong, his influence on contemporary art is huge, especially his earlier work a la The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living. Lately I think his work has been influenced by how rich he has become. There's a lot of flash and some shock value, but not a huge amount of substance (don't shoot me art gods, it's just my personal opinion!) Even still, sometimes I like to look at art that is just plain pretty and his butterfly mandalas are really pretty. I know, I know, sometimes in the art world saying something is pretty is worse than saying it's ugly. But they are pretty aren't they?

Bringing Forth the Fruits of Righteousness from Darkness
2008

I am Become Death, Shatterer of Worlds
84 x 210 in 
2006

detail I am Become Death, Shatterer of Worlds


Like most of his work, they explore concepts of death. Also, like most of his work, if you are easily offended by the display of dead animals as art, it's not for you. The butterflies in this painting are real, encased in gloss paint on canvas. Pretty, but is it worth it? Like I said before, I'm ambivalent.

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