Contemporary Curated
Thomas Hirschhorn is a Swiss artist. He lives and works in Paris.
Hirschhorn's work has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions including the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Chantal Crousel, Paris; Museu d'Art Contemporani, Barcelona; MAAXI, Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo, Rome; Kunsthaus Zürich; Art Institute of Chicago; Museum Ludwig, Cologne; and Wiener Secession, Vienna.
Hirschhorn's works are held in collections worldwide, which include the Museum of Modern Art, the Walker Art Center, and the Tate among others.
Damien Hirst is a seminal figure in contemporary art, well-known for his provocative and often controversial works that explore themes of death, rebirth, and the boundaries of art itself. As a leading member of the Young British Artists (YBAs) in the 1990s, Hirst catapulted to fame with his innovative approach to art that combines the techniques of installation, sculpture, and painting.
Damien Hirst's early career was marked by his organization of the pivotal "Freeze" exhibition in 1988, showcasing his and his peers' work, which caught the attention of influential art collectors. This period laid the groundwork for his signature works, including the 'Natural History' series, where animals such as sharks, sheep, and cows are preserved in formaldehyde, challenging viewers to confront the nature of existence and the inevitability of death.
Among Damien Hirst's most iconic pieces is "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living," featuring a tiger shark suspended in formaldehyde, and "For the Love of God," a platinum cast of an 18th-century human skull encrusted with 8,601 flawless diamonds. These works exemplify Hirst's exploration of mortality and the commodification of art.
Damien Hirst's 'Spot Paintings' and 'Spin Paintings' further demonstrate his challenge to traditional notions of authorship and the creative process, often involving teams of assistants in their production. These series play with concepts of randomness, control, and the aesthetic joys of color and form, pushing the boundaries of painting as a medium.
In 2017, Hirst embarked on "Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable," an ambitious project that filled Venetian museums with artifacts from a fictional ancient shipwreck. This project, blending reality and fiction, invited audiences to question the authenticity and value of art, showcasing Hirst's ongoing interest in storytelling and myth-making within the context of contemporary culture.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Damien Hirst represents a pivotal figure whose works challenge, provoke, and inspire. His ability to blur the lines between art, science, and commerce has left an indelible mark on the art world, making his pieces highly sought after by collectors around the globe.
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Sylvie Fleury is a Swiss contemporary pop artist known for her installations, sculpture, and mixed media. Her work generally depicts objects with sentimental and aesthetic attachments in consumer culture, as well as the paradigm of the new age, with much of her work specifically addressing issues of gendered consumption and the fetishistic relationships to consumer objects and art history.
Tom Sachs is an American artist and sculptor.
He is known for installations of consumer products and has collaborated with Nike and McDonald's. Sachs also works on the development of his own Space Program and has created many space-related sculptures.
Tom Sachs is an American artist and sculptor.
He is known for installations of consumer products and has collaborated with Nike and McDonald's. Sachs also works on the development of his own Space Program and has created many space-related sculptures.
Yoshitomo Nara is a Japanese artist. He lives and works in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture, though his artwork has been exhibited worldwide. Nara has had nearly 40 solo exhibitions since 1984. His art work has been housed at the MoMA and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
Jeffrey Lynn Koons is an American artist recognized for his work dealing with popular culture and his sculptures depicting everyday objects, including balloon animals produced in stainless steel with mirror-finish surfaces. He lives and works in both New York City and his hometown of York, Pennsylvania. His works have sold for substantial sums, including at least two record auction prices for a work by a living artist: US$58.4 million for Balloon Dog (Orange) in 2013 and US$91.1 million for Rabbit in 2019.
Critics are sharply divided in their views of Koons. Some view his work as pioneering and of major art-historical importance. Others dismiss his work as kitsch, crass, and based on cynical self-merchandising. Koons has stated that there are no hidden meanings and critiques in his works.