In Vienna, renowned artist Damien Hirst opts for graphite and paper over diamonds in his artworks.
Art Rebel: Damien Hirst Bucks Institutions and Tradition
Damien Hirst, the infamous British art sensation, doesn't play by the rules. In 2008, he revolutionized the art world by bypassing traditional art market norms, choosing to auction his works directly to collectors through Sotheby's, opting out of the usual gallery system[1][2][3].
To add to his rule-breaking repertoire, Hirst isn't reliant on museums either. His wealthy followers have funded grand spectacles like the 2017 exhibition in Venice, where Hirst filled billionaire François Pinault's museums with massive, supposedly ancient shipwreck artifacts[1].
Defying the Art Titans
The subversive spirit of Damien Hirst persists, even in the Alfredina modern exhibition, which presents more than just another stop on Hirst's art factory production line. It offers a glimmer of hope for challenging the art industry's bigwigs with fresh ideas, seriousness, and a critical eye without having to succumb to their fame and market power[1].
Drawn to Paper
In Vienna, the exhibition's focus on Hirst's drawings gives a unique insight into the artist's creative process. Known for launching the "Young British Artists" movement in the late 80s with his groundbreaking "Freeze" exhibition, Hirst has been sketching since the beginning, even as his art production has moved towards a more collaborative process[1].
The sketches on scraps of paper, some containing ideas for Hirst's iconic animals preserved in formaldehyde, are merely a fraction of the artist's oeuvre. Hirst employs drawings in various ways, such as for brainstorming, workshop designs, and as post-production documentation[1].
The focus on paper at the Albertina modern allows visitors to "walk through a retrospective using the drawings," as curator Elsy Lahner remarks, avoiding the ostentatious element often associated with Hirst's high-priced, extravagant artwork. For example, his 2007 diamond-encrusted skull ("For The Love of God"), with reported material costs of £14 million, is represented here only in pencil form[1].
Testing Expectations
Yet, the exhibition reveals how Hirst skillfully manipulates societal expectations around art and artists. Those who believe art should be unique are presented with a rotating machine, allowing everyone to create their own circular images.
Not all drawings in the exhibition are original; some were created in the studio for Hirst's 2017 Venice exhibition, designed to emulate the old and precious with the help of calculated workshop images, then executed in ink on parchment[1]. luxury car brand logos soon disrupted this association.
Curiously, one of Hirst's sheets borrows Dürer's "Praying Hands" from the Albertina collection. Lahner, the curator, indicated no plans for acquisition, raising questions about Hirst's distance from the museum system[1].
In essence, Damien Hirst consistently challenges traditional art world systems, preferring to take control of how and where his art is sold and exhibited, be it through direct auction sales or his own gallery space. The exhibition at the Albertina Modern, Vienna, by zooming in on his drawings, offers a critical perspective on his work and encourages a reevaluation of value, creativity, and artistic legitimacy within the art industry[1].
- Damien Hirst, bypassing typical museum reliance, finds funding for grand spectacles like the 2017 exhibition in Venice from his wealthy followers, circumventing the formal museum system.
- The exhibition at the Alfredina modern not only offers a glimpse of Hirst's creative process but also presents an opportunity to challenge the art industry's bigwigs, bucking traditional art market power.
- In the Vienna exhibition's focus on Hirst's drawings, visitors can see sketches containing ideas for his iconic animals preserved in formaldehyde, demonstrating that even his high-priced, extravagant artwork has humble beginnings on scraps of paper.
- Damien Hirst skillfully manipulates societal expectations around art and artists, as demonstrated by the rotating machine at the Albertina Modern, which encourages visitors to create their own circular images, subverting the commonly held belief that art should be unique.
