British artist Damien Hirst is widely considered the enfant terrible of contemporary art. He is the most prominent of the so-called Young British Artists, or YBAs, a group, largely composed of Hirst’s classmates at Goldsmiths, in London, that began exhibiting together in warehouses and factories after 1988 and is known for the use of unconventional materials and “shock tactics” in his paintings, prints, sculptures and other works.
In the 1990s, Hirst said, “I can’t wait to get into a position to make really bad art and get away with it.” And indeed, he is notorious for piquing critics and baffling the public with such pieces as his signature glass vitrines containing dead sheep or sharks in formaldehyde, and his diamond-encrusted skull, For the Love of God.
Working primarily in sculpture, Hirst takes after French modernist master Marcel Duchamp in his use of ready-made objects and materials, which he combines to ironic effect. He often creates in series, as with "The Cure (Violet)" and "The Cure (Turquoise)," both from 2014, which are among several pill paintings referencing Andy Warhol’s embrace of mass production.
Belonging to Hirst's ongoing series of “spot” paintings, begun in the 1980s, the 2005 piece Xylene Cyanol Dye Solution is striking for its machinelike, industrial uniformity and almost childlike simplicity, a seeming rebuke to the idea of the artist-as-genius.
In addition to making art, Hirst has launched stores that sell editioned works (Other Criteria), a restaurant (Pharmacy2) and even his own London museum (Newport Street Gallery).
Find original Damien Hirst paintings, prints and other works on 1stDibs.
Heart Spin: Framed Acrylic Painting, Abstract Geometric, 2000s
By Damien Hirst
Located in New York, NY
First explored in the early 1990s, the spin technique has become one of Hirst’s most sought-after and instantly recognizable styles, reflecting his interest in process, color, and th...
Acrylic
'SKULL SPIN (BLUE, ORANGE, YELLOW)'
By Damien Hirst
Located in New York, NY
First explored in the early 1990s, the spin technique has become one of Hirst’s most sought-after and instantly recognizable styles, reflecting his interest in process, color, and th...
Acrylic
#219 Beautiful, Socially Virtuous, Self Assured Star System Painting
By Damien Hirst
Located in New York, NY
'The Beautiful Paintings' series by Damien Hirst explores the intersection of beauty, color, and perception through densely layered compositions of vibrant paint. *#219 Beautiful, So...
Color
Vital Aura Print, Abstract Style, Archival Ink, 2010+, New, 88x88 CM
By Damien Hirst
Located in New York, NY
Damien Hirst is a British contemporary master artist and entrepreneur recognized for his iconic artworks that have defined the contemporary art world for over a decade. He is one of ...
Archival Ink
Butterfly Heart Large Print, Metal and Archival Pigment, Pop Art, 2020
By Damien Hirst
Located in New York, NY
Released in May 2020, Damien Hirst’s ‘Butterfly Heart’ was created as a poignant tribute to the National Health Service (NHS) in Britain during the COVID-19 pandemic. This edition fe...
Metal
Aurora Dawn Abstract Print, Archival Ink, 2010+, Large Size 88x88 cm
By Damien Hirst
Located in New York, NY
Damien Hirst is a British contemporary master artist and entrepreneur recognized for his iconic artworks that have defined the contemporary art world for over a decade. He is one of ...
Archival Ink
"Heart Spin Painting" inscribed acrylic on paper painting by artist Damien Hirst
By Damien Hirst
Located in Boca Raton, FL
"Heart Spin Painting" acrylic on paper painting by artist Damien Hirst. Created with public collaboration at the Damien Hirst Spin Workshop to celebrate the opening of "Requiem" at t...
Paper, Acrylic
Damien Hirst -- Heart. Spin Painting, acrylic on paper
By Damien Hirst
Located in BRUCE, ACT
Damien Hirst Heart, 2009 Spin Painting, acrylic on paper "Hirst" signature on the back. Embossed "HIRST" stamp Dimensions: 52 x 52 cm This work was produced for the inauguration...
Acrylic
"Circle Spin Painting" framed, signed acrylic on paper by artist Damien Hirst
By Damien Hirst
Located in Boca Raton, FL
"Circle Spin Painting" acrylic on paper painting by artist Damien Hirst. Created with public collaboration at the Damien Hirst Spin Workshop to celebrate the opening of "Requiem" at ...
Paper, Acrylic
Spin (Heart)
By Damien Hirst
Located in Manchester, GB
By Damien Hirst 2009 Stamped by artist A vibrant example of Damien Hirst’s iconic spin paintings, this work embodies the artist’s exploration of colour, movement, and controlled r...
Paper, Acrylic
Spin (Heart)
By Damien Hirst
Located in Manchester, GB
By Damien Hirst 2009 Stamped by artist A vibrant example of Damien Hirst’s iconic spin paintings, this work embodies the artist’s exploration of colour, movement, and controlled r...
Paper, Acrylic
Hearth Spin Painting, 2009, Painting by Damien Hirst.
By Damien Hirst
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Damien Hirst (1965) Hearth Spin Painting (2009) acrylic and metallic paint on paper 20⅛ h × 20⅜ w in (51 × 52 cm) Signed and stamped with Damien Hirst's studio's blindstamp; stamp...
Paper, Acrylic
Once built for curbs and handrails, these boards now hang beside blue-chip works in major museums and collectors’ homes.
Fierceness and fragility coalesce as the British artist revisits a cherished motif — the butterfly.
