"Mother and Child Divided" 1993

This piece is one of many of Hirst's famed pieces which contain dead animals encased in a formaldehyde solution. This particular piece, in my opinion, has a much more profound effect than that of the others. I think much of this effect comes from the title.

The piece consists of steel, GRP composites, glass, silicone sealants, a cow, an calf, and formaldehyde solution. The cow and calf have each been disected down the middle and suspended in the solution. Each animal is in a separate glass case. The glass cases have been positioned so that the sides of the calf and cow which have been cut are facing each other. The placement of the glass cases is a big part of the effect of this piece. If you stand facing one of the cases, it looks as if it is a whole cow and there is no other case; however, as you walk around you will notice there is a separate case which holds another animal which has been cut in half. As you make your way to the other side you can then distinguish that the original animal which you had viewed is also bissected.

"HBP:Damien Hirst's Mother and Child Divided." BaroquePotion. 07 001 2008. Baroque Potion, Web. 23 Nov 2009
"Damien Hirst." Whitecube. Whitecube, Web. 23 Nov 2009.

"For the Love of God" 2007

In 2007, Hirst created this work titled "For the Love of God". The work consisted of platinum, diamonds, and human teeth. "For the Love of God" was cast in platinum from a real 18th century skull purchased by Hirst. The entire surface of the skull was then covered in 8,601 diamonds weighing in at 1,106.18 carats. At the center of the forehead is on pear-shaped pink diamond.

The title comes from his mother who asked him, "For the love of god, what are you going to do next?" This title fits into Hirst's death theme in a much different way than most of his other pieces. This piece was inspired by Mexican skulls encrusted in turquoise. Of "For the Love of God", Hirst says "I remember thinking it would be great to do a diamond one - but just prohibitively expensive," he recalls. “Then I started to think - maybe that’s why it is a good thing to do. Death is such a heavy subject, it would be good to make something that laughed in the face of it.”

Artist John Lekay, a former friend of Hirst's, claims that Hirst got the idea from his crystal skull which he created in 1993. While this work has obvious similarity to Lekay's, I do not believe that it is similar enough to say that Hirst copied Lekay's work.


Pescovitz, David. "Damien Hirst's Diamond Skull." Boingboing. 02 006 2007. Boingboing, Web. 23 Nov 2009.
Shaw, William. "The Iceman Cometh." New York Times 03 006 2007: n. pag. Web. 23 Nov 2009

"A Thousand Years" 1990

Damien Hirst is one of the most controversial artists to ever create a piece of artwork. Some of that controversy comes from the basis of so many of his works. Hirst has chosen to address not only the process of life and death, but the inevitable mortality of all living things in much of his artwork.

Hirst's installation piece titled "A Thousand Years" was composed of steel, glass, flies, maggots, MDF, an insect-o-cutor, a cow's head, sugar, and water. In this piece the maggots hatch in a white box, turning into flies. When they are able to fly they proceed to the other section of the tank where they feed on a dead cow's head. Some flies come to a short ending by meeting with an insect-o-cutor while others complete their life cycle, eventually perishing. This work of art deals directly with Hirst's view of life and death. Some of the flies lived full lives while others died prematurely.

This piece displayed how Hirst felt about the cycle of life and death. Some live full lives and complete the cycle while others are cut short and not given the chance.

"A Thousand Years and Triptychs." Gagosian. 04 008 2006. Gagosian, Web. 23 Nov 2009.

Lacayo, Richard. "Damien Hirst: Bad Boy Makes Good." Time Magazine 04 009 2008: n. pag. Web. 23 Nov 2009.