Life, Death, and Beauty: Damien Hirst in 5 Artworks

Popular just as much as he is controversial, Damien Hirst is central to today’s contemporary art scene. Hirst rose to fame in the 1990s as part of the Young British Artists group and is now regarded as one of the most prominent living artists.

From accusations of animal cruelty by PETA to charges of plagiarism and the ever so common “I could have done that myself” refrain, Damien Hirst is not always appreciated or understood. This is a figure who stirs both admiration and vitriol.

Hirst’s creations are recognized for their striking use of materials and ability to evoke deep emotional and intellectual responses. Bold, thought-provoking, and often controversial, his works challenge our perceptions of life, death, and the role of art itself. His impact on contemporary art is undeniable, and his blend of post-Dada irony with installations that mix science and art has greatly influenced both artists and the public. With a career spanning over four decades, Hirst remains at the forefront of the art world.

Damien Hirst: A Brief Biography

Born on June 7, 1965, in Bristol, England, Damien Hirst grew up in Leeds, where he demonstrated an early interest in art. Despite initial setbacks, he studied at Jacob Kramer College before enrolling at Goldsmiths, University of London (1986-1989), to study Fine Art. During his time at Goldsmiths, Hirst became known for his boundary-pushing ideas and conceptual approach, curating exhibitions that included his own work and that of his fellow students.

In 1988, while still a student, Hirst organized the now-legendary exhibition Freeze, which showcased the work of his peers and marked the emergence of the Young British Artists group. This exhibition caught the attention of influential art collector Charles Saatchi, who would become a significant patron of Hirst’s work, along with curators and art historians like Norman Rosenthal and Nicholas Serota.

Throughout the 1990s, Hirst gained international fame through prominent galleries and collectors. Represented by Saatchi, Gagosian, and White Cube, Hirst has exhibited worldwide. His works have sold at record-breaking prices in galleries and auctions, earning him not only considerable wealth but also an undisputed place in art history. Today, alongside his artistic endeavors, Hirst is involved in various business ventures, including his own art foundation, a successful art dealership, a publishing house, and numerous charitable initiatives.

Life, Death, and Everything In Between

Hirst has become one of the most successful and controversial artists of his generation. His provocative installations touch upon themes of death, life, and the human condition. His work connects art, science, and popular culture. Hirst makes art to provoke and inspire; viewers are led to grapple with complex themes often portrayed in unsettling, yet clinical ways. From the visceral intensity of A Thousand Years to the contemplative beauty of Cherry Blossoms, Hirst invites us to explore the full spectrum of human experience. Each of the five works analyzed here highlights different aspects of his genius, confirming his place as one of the most provocative artists of our time.

1. A Thousand Years (1990)

A Thousand Years is one of Hirst’s earliest and most powerful installations. The work features a large glass case divided into two sections. One side contains a rotting cow’s head, while the other houses a colony of flies that feed on the decaying flesh, reproduce, and eventually perish. An insect-o-cutor (a bug zapper) is also included to symbolize unforeseen, often deadly circumstances. This piece is a stark, visceral examination of the biological processes that govern life, forcing viewers to confront the raw reality of decay and mortality. Hirst’s use of living organisms and decomposition materials brings the work to life—quite literally—making it a compelling meditation on the relentless cycle of life and death.

2. The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991)

One of Damien Hirst’s most famous and iconic artworks, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, features a tiger shark suspended in a 5-meter glass tank filled with formaldehyde. The shark, once a fearsome predator, is now preserved in perpetual stillness. The piece confronts viewers with the stark reality of death while simultaneously highlighting our inability to comprehend fully or even accept our mortality. The work’s scientific presentation communicates the tension between life and death with an underlying sense of unease. Its provocative title also serves as a haunting reminder of the inevitable fate that awaits all living beings.

3. Spot Paintings (1986–ongoing)

The Spot Paintings is a series Hirst began in the late 1980s and has continued to produce over the decades. These paintings consist of grids of uniformly spaced, brightly colored circles on a white background, each meticulously measured and painted. Despite their apparent simplicity, the Spot Paintings are a significant exploration of color, precision, and repetition.

Hirst’s choice to never repeat the same color within a single painting and the mass production of these works by assistants reflect his interest in industrial culture and the commodification of art. The series challenges traditional notions of artistic authorship and originality, questioning the role of the artist in a world increasingly dominated by mass production and consumerism.

The latest iteration of this famous series is The Currency, a collection of 10,000 unique hand-painted, dot-covered works on paper, each comes with an NFT, which Hirst began selling in 2021.

4. For the Love of God (2007)

For the Love of God is one of Damien Hirst’s most audacious artworks. It is a platinum cast of an 18th-century human skull encrusted with 8,601 diamonds, including a large pink diamond on the forehead. This piece serves as both a memento mori—a reminder of death’s inevitability—and a commentary on the excesses of wealth and materialism.

The juxtaposition of the skull, a symbol of mortality, with diamonds, symbols of wealth and permanence, creates a powerful statement about the human desire to transcend death through material means. The work also critiques the art market’s obsession with value and luxury, reflecting Hirst’s ongoing exploration of life, death, and the superficiality of human desires.

5. Cherry Blossoms (2018–2021)

In contrast to the starkness and minimalism of many of Damien Hirst’s earlier works, the Cherry Blossoms series represents a vibrant and colorful shift in his artistic practice. Created between 2018 and 2021, these large-scale paintings depict blossoming cherry trees in full bloom, rendered in thick, impasto brushstrokes. The series is a celebration of nature’s beauty and renewal, filled with a joyful explosion of color.

However, like many of Damien Hirst’s artworks, Cherry Blossoms also carry an undercurrent of melancholy, as the fleeting nature of the blossoms alludes to the transient beauty of life. This series showcases Hirst’s versatility as an artist and a late shift from minimalism and industry-like products to a more traditional style of painting, heavily influenced by Abstract Expressionism and gestural paintings.