Damien Hirst's Spot Paintings Exhibition Opens Simultaneously Across All Gagosian Galleries Worldwide
In January 2012, Damien Hirst's exhibition titled 'The Complete Spot Paintings, 1986-2011' debuted simultaneously at all eleven Gagosian Gallery venues, showcasing approximately three hundred pieces featuring vibrant polka dots on white backgrounds. Hirst, a prominent figure in the Young British Artists movement, rose to fame following the 1988 Freeze art exhibition and was highlighted by Charles Saatchi in 1992. He represented the UK at the Venice Biennale in 1993 and won the Turner Prize in 1995. His notable works include 'For the Love of God' and 'The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living.' In 2008, he achieved nearly $200 million by selling works directly through Sotheby's, sparking discussions among critics about the significance of his spot paintings compared to others.
Key facts
- Damien Hirst's 'The Complete Spot Paintings, 1986-2011' exhibition opened simultaneously across all eleven Gagosian Gallery locations worldwide in January 2012.
- The exhibition features approximately three hundred works consisting of colored polka dots on flat white grounds.
- Hirst organized the Freeze art show in London in 1988 while in his early twenties.
- Collector Charles Saatchi featured Hirst in the 1992 Young British Artists exhibition.
- Hirst represented Britain at the 1993 Venice Biennale and won the Turner Prize in 1995.
- In 2008, Hirst sold hundreds of new works directly through Sotheby's in the auction 'Beautiful Inside My Head Forever', generating nearly $200,000,000 in sales.
- The spot paintings vary in dot size from one millimeter to five feet, with one canvas containing 25,781 dots.
- Hirst has stated the paintings stem from his 'phenomenal love of color' and aim to 'do nothing.'
Entities
Artists
- Damien Hirst
- Sol LeWitt
- Sean Scully
- Mary Heilmann
- Picasso
- Cezanne
- Pollock
- Warhol
Institutions
- Gagosian Gallery
- Sotheby's
- Metropolitan Museum
- Venice Biennale
- Turner Prize
- Young British Artists
- Freeze art show
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- New York
- United States
- Venice
- Italy