Damien Hirst, For the love of God, 2007
Gabriel Orozco, Black Kites, 1997, 2x
Christopher Steinmeyer,
Disco Inferno 2001
Hans van Bentem, 2003
Kendell Geers Fuckface 2005
Mark Kilner Numbskull, 2007
One plastic skull encrusted with 630 'extra power' paracetamol tablets.
Amy Sarkisian
Aztec, British Museum
Aztec.
Monte Alban
A bit of
kitsch
Today's Mexican crafts
If Damien Hirst had not accepted in public about his use of other artists ideas' it could had been very embarrassing for him. I think that apart from the often mentioned skull at the British Museum, the time he spent in Mexico, starting 2005 exhibiting there and I don't know, probably getting to know more of Gabriel Orozco's work, background and the Mexican culture where the skull plays a very important role, influenced him strongly to make his diamond skull. In Prehispanic times the skull has a dominance in sculpture and religion. In the 20th and 21st century Mexican art the skull is widely represented, up to the boring edge. It may even steal the 'Mexican ownership of the skull' and people would later say as they see one of the many Aztec skulls that it reminds them of Damien Hirst's work.
The materials of his work are very representative of his way of working. No one will forget it and it will probably keep the discussion in the decades to come. Discussion that may go more on the stories around it than on the acceptance as art. The reinserting of the teeth in the titanium skull was estetically very logical.
Without any doubt anything he does takes more attention that what other artists do, independantly of the quality of the works. He has done many copy things (including his own work) but also many audacious things. He has certainly moved the artist's border further and further.
His skull work is very bright (with it's nearly 9 thousend diamonds could not be otherwise! and masterly illuminated), without the controlled light it would have probably seemed very small and a lot less interesting, and that is why he is a 'control freak' about no one taking photo's of it.
More on
Hirst at Polink and at
trendbeheer.
Also at
Galerie op weg,
Anthropology.net, Morning Paper and
The Guardian.A collection of
Maya and Aztec masks.
Just added:
Is there now days a self respected blog without some 'skull art'?
Paris Art Fair 08 by whom?,
Le Blog du temps perdu
Domestic fine arts
Museumlab
Edmund Piper
Rigoberto Reyes,
Ready made
