Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirstis an English artist, entrepreneur, and art collector. He is the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists, who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reportedly the United Kingdom's richest living artist, with his wealth valued at £215m in the 2010 Sunday Times Rich List. During the 1990s his career was closely linked with the collector Charles Saatchi, but increasing frictions came to...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPainter
Date of Birth7 June 1965
I believe all painting and art should be uplifting for the viewer.
I can't understand why most people believe in medicine and don't believe in art, without questioning either.
It's ridiculous what I do. I can't believe in it - but I have to.
I used to believe I was going to live forever. And then you suddenly become aware that you're not.
I think I like big issues, but I don't believe in God or religion.
No, I don't believe in genius. I believe in freedom. I think anyone can do it. Anyone can be like Rembrandt.
My Mum brought me up to believe that if you look after the pennies then the pounds look after themselves, and I could never do it.
It's amazing what you can do with an E in A-level art, twisted imagination and a chainsaw.
To me it's like, this is the kind of world I live in and these are all the people who are artists who are doing what I'm doing, but in their own way.
I've seen things that are 200 years old, in formaldehyde.
Anything you can do with your hands and feet. Great.
One thing leads to another with my work.
She wasn't much to look at, but she was great to dance with.
I have a Californian girlfriend and she's into a lot of Californian bands so I listen to that.