Damien Hirst's Shark: From Saatchi to Cohen and the Replacement

Damien Hirst's iconic shark, created in 1991 and initially funded by Charles Saatchi, was caught off Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia, and cost £6,000 to produce, totaling £50,000. The piece was sold to Steven A. Cohen in 2004 for an estimated $8-12 million. Initially poorly preserved, the shark underwent significant restoration, with the Saatchi Gallery adding bleach, and in 1993, the shark was gutted and its skin stretched over a fiberglass mold. A replacement, preserved in 2006 with assistance from Oliver Crimmen, involved a formaldehyde process that cost about $100,000. The shark measures 213 x 518 x 213 cm.