Damien Hirst was born in Bristol in 1965. His artistic career began in the late Eghties when, with other young artists from Goldsmiths College in London, he began exhibiting his first artworks at some indipendent londoneer spaces (such as at Dock Offices for the exhibitions “Freeze” in 1988, which initiated the formation of the Young British Artists group and Hirst’s rise in the art world. His art is a journey through chaos, beauty and provocation that challenges convention and addresses social issues.

In 1991 was presented to the world “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living,” also known as “The Shark.” This work consisted of a dead shark suspended in a formaldehyde solution in a huge glass case. This daring experiment provoked a heated debate about art, death and the meaning of life. Hirst had transformed a sea creature into an icon of contemporary art. This interest of him in life, death and human frailty would be a recurring theme in his works: recall series “The Medicine Cabinets,” in which he created fiberglass versions of pharmacy cabinets filled with drugs and medical objects, or works with dead butterflies, diamond-covered skulls imitating that echo the memento mori.

Damien Hirst is an icon of contemporary art. He has influenced generations of artists by demonstrating that art can be provocative, emotional and, most importantly, a reflection on life itself. With his boldness and talent, Hirst continues to be an “alchemist of contemporary art,” transforming seemingly ordinary concepts and materials into extraordinary and indelible works.

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