Damien Hirst Exhibition London
When
04 April 2012 -
09 September 2012
10am - 6pm
Where
Tate Modern
Cost
£12.20 - £15.50
Age Restrictions
n/a
A substantial Damien Hirst exhibition London event takes place at Tate Modern during summer 2012 as the renowned British artist showcases some of his most iconic and infamous pieces of art.
Damien Hirst exhibition
London once again welcomes another major show from Mr Hirst, but this time it's the Tate Modern which is hosting the large scale retrospective of his art work. Having been a prominent member of the British art scene since his inaugural exhibition Freeze, curated by him and his friends at Goldsmiths back in 1988, he has since become one of the most influential artists of his generation. So, no doubt the new Damien Hirst exhibition at Tate Modern will be one of the most popular shows of the year at the contemporary gallery and beyond.
Twenty years of art
On show at the Tate Modern for the duration of the spring/summer period in 2012, the Damien Hirst exhibition features art from throughout his twenty year career. From his seminal sculptures of preserved and dissected animals to his prints and paintings, the Tate Modern show charts the history of this controversial artist and his influence on the contemporary art world through his catalogue of iconic works.
Freeze
Damien Hirst first came to public attention when he and his fellow Young British Artists from Goldsmith were included in a self curated exhibition, Freeze. Staged in a disused warehouse, Hirst and many others including Mat Collishaw, Gary Hume, Sarah Lucas and Michael Landy showcased their work, and famous art dealer Charles Saatchi attended the exhibition and made a purchase. Three years later, he then offered to fund whatever art Damien Hirst wanted to make, prompting the first official Young British Artist's exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in 1992.
Notorious pieces
Two of the most notorious pieces of sculpture included in the Damien Hirst exhibition London show feature animals suspended in formaldehyde. The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living features a 14 foot tiger shark in a glass and steel tank; while Mother and Child Divided consists of a bisected cow and calf, which was entered into the 1995 Turner Prize competition and won Hirst the prize that year.
Exhibition highlights
No doubt one of the major highlights for Damien Hirst fans will be the inclusion of In and Out of Love, an installation which has not been shown in its entirety since its creation in 1991, and another installation, the grand scale piece Pharmacy, which depicts a real-size pharmacy room, full of bottles, cabinets, boxes and pills representing prescription drugs. The series of spot, spin, butterfly and fly paintings from throughout his career are also on show at this year's Damien Hirst exhibition London event.
Diamond skull
To accompany the ticketed Damien Hirst exhibition, London art fans can also see the iconic diamond encrusted skull, For the Love of God, in a darkened and guarded room within the Tate Modern Turbine Hall. The platinum skull, covered with 8,601 flawless diamonds, was first exhibited in 2007, and can be seen from 4th April - 24th June 2012, as an accompaniment to the full scale exhibition.
Damien Hirst Diamond Skull
Living installations
Meanwhile, in the ticketed exhibition art fans can immerse themselves in a living installation, In and Out of Love, which takes the form of a room full of live butterflies. The life cycle is represented elsewhere in the show with A Thousand Years, a chamber featuring a rotting cow's head, maggots, flies and a light trap.
The Damien Hirst exhibition at Tate Modern takes place from Wednesday 4th April - Sunday 9th September 2012. Tickets cost £12.20 - £15.50. For more information and to buy tickets in advance, call 020 7887 8888.
Image: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living - 1991, Damien Hirst, Courtesy of Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. Photographed by Prudence Cuming Associates.
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Other Events at Tate Modern
04 April 2012 - 24 June 2012
18 July 2012 - 28 October 2012
From Oct 10, Mon-Thu, Sun 10am-6pm, last adm 5.15pm, Fri & Sat 10am-10pm, last adm 9.15pm, closed Dec 24-26, ends Jan 20
28 June 2012 - 14 October 2012
From Feb 9, Mon-Thu, Sun 10am-6pm, last adm 5.15pm, Fri & Sat 10am-10pm, last adm 9.15pm, ends Jun 5
From Nov 14, Mon-Thu, Sun 10am-6pm, last adm 5.15pm, Fri & Sat 10am-10pm, last adm 9.15pm, closed Dec 24-26, ends Apr 1
From Apr 4, Mon-Thu, Sun 10am-6pm, last adm 5.15pm, Fri & Sat 10am-10pm, last adm 9.15pm, ends Sep 9
Mon-Thu, Sun 10am-6pm, last adm 5.15pm, Fri & Sat 10am-10pm, last adm 9.15pm, closed Dec 24-26