Damien Hirst's 8601 fine diamond encrusted sculpture For The Love Of God, which cost 14 million pounds to create and sold for a mare 50 million pounds to a unknown investment group, making it the most expensive piece of artwork ever created. The piece has become very controversial because of the media used and where Hirst sourced these fine diamonds from.Hirst recalls his mindset before creating the piece “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.” But he states after creating the piece and thinking about the controversy created over the blood diamond trade in Africa he found himself looking like a villain. “That’s when you stop laughing,” Hirst says. “You might have created something that people might die because of. I guess I felt like Oppenheimer or something. What have I done? Because it’s going to need high security all its life.”
First of all I have to say I am all for Africa. As soon as I get my degree I'm there. But on this piece of work my hat goes off to Hirst. The controversy and criticism he has recieved from this artwork is incredible. Maybe the profit of this piece should have been used to aid Africa, but the skull on its own is a masterpiece. The ideas that Hirst was attempting to portray are definitely obvious. The piece doesn't make me think about Hirst on his quest for fame and fortune but more of a celebration of human life coming and going in and out of this world. Fine, the 14 millions pounds worth of diamonds may seem excessive but what other media would have been adequate other than the most exquisite stone known to man. It's what every human being is after before death - success, which is usually measured by wealth which is where the stones come in. Shining a little light on death is a very powerful concept; which through the skull Hirst has grasped perfectly.
I think people need to look at skull as a piece of artwork first, then discuss the moral ethics behind it.
Good blog chuzz, even though I sway the other way, I totally see where you're coming from
ReplyDeletekudos!
sup buzzy
ReplyDeletethat is a well thought on the skull
who cares what media tends to make us think
it is still an art!
Naiiice one braw
ReplyDelete, despite the fact i'm not a huge fan of Hirst, i agree that h does get across his point very thoroughly and if he had used a different media and not spent so much money, it wouldn't have been as good.
BORTCH!
good evening fellow.
ReplyDeletein some cases i agree with what you have to say about this piece of art for example i take my hat off to him for thinking outside the box when it comes to thinking of new forms of art. he obviously has put a lot of thought into this piece as it is not just some flashy piece of jewelry you would catch a rap star wearing, and in fact it has a lot of meaning behind it. well done murder mase! u da man!
It’s kind of funny, when you start a piece of art do you really consider where it may end up and will anyone be hurt it. A piece like “For the love of God” touches on a lot of this. How many diamonds are actually needed to complete this piece and where will they come? I think that the finished product was meant to make us think about our society today and mercantilism and not the making of it as such.
ReplyDeleteMad Villain in deed!! To be honest I am more concerned with the person who would be interested in buying it for such a crazy price! Ha, George Michael ah
I totally agree with you mason, my blog on Hirst seemed to sway almost the exact same way as yours. I also think that people should look at the work before criticizing Hirst himself, where the diamonds came from and all the ethics behind it. I like how you’ve shown Hirst in a different light, "Shining a little light on death is a very powerful concept; which through the skull Hirst has grasped perfectly". But even though I agree with what you’re saying, I also think that Hirst should have put some money towards charities, "You might have created something that people might die because of" I think if he's willing to say that then he should be willing to do something about it.
ReplyDeleteHEY MASON, lol
ReplyDeleteI LIKE DAMIEN HIRST'S SCULPTURE, DIAMOND ENCRUSTED SKULL. BECAUSE ON THE SKULL, THERE ARE 8601 DIAMONDS. THROUGH MY OPINION ABOUT THIS, I THINK IT RELATES TO THE MERCANTILISM.
IT COSTS A LOT AND HUMAN'S DESIRE CAN'T STOP, EVEN ME AS WELL..
I ALSO AGREE WITH DAMIEN HIRST, NEVERTHLESS, EVEN BY HIS AMBITIOUS STANDARDS, THE DIAMOND ENCRUSTED SKULL, ENTITLED 'FOR LOVE OF GOD', IS A RISKY UNDERTAKING. 'I JUST WANT TO CELEBRATE LIFE BY SAYING TO HELL WITH DEATH', SAID DAMIEN HIRST.
I THINK THIS SCULPTURE IS BEAUTIFUL, NOT FOR THE DIAMONDS, I LIKE HIS PURPOSE.