{"title":"Damien Hirst","description":"\u003cp\u003eA British conceptual artist whose deliberately provocative work addresses vanitas and beauty, death and rebirth, and the relationship between medicine, technology and mortality, Damien Hirst is one of the most recognisable names in contemporary art. Born in Bristol and raised in Leeds, his work first caught the eye of collector Charles Saatchi while he was still a student at Goldsmiths College in London.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1988, while still a student, he curated the now renowned exhibition Freeze in East London, bringing together a group of young artists who would go on to define cutting-edge contemporary art in the 1990s and become known as the Young British Artists. His mixed media sculptures draw from a frequently controversial assortment of formaldehyde suspended carcasses, cigarette butts, pharmaceutical packaging and surgical instruments, often encased in glass vitrines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe won the Turner Prize in 1995 and has since become the United Kingdom's wealthiest artist. In 2008 he made an unprecedented move by selling a complete show directly at Sotheby's, raising £111 million and bypassing his long-standing galleries entirely. From spot paintings to diamond encrusted skulls, his work continues to provoke, enthral and divide opinion in equal measure.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Damien_Hirst_(6712600369).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Damien Hirst by Andrew Russeth from New York\" style=\"color: rgb(128, 128, 128);\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003ePhotograph\u003c\/a\u003e by Andrew Russeth via Wikimedia Commons\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"taytu-betul","title":"Taytu Betul","description":"\u003cp\u003e'The Empresses' encapsulates Hirst's exploration of butterfly symbolism and historical narratives, intertwining themes of power, stability, and beauty. A series of five laminated Giclée prints on aluminium composite, screen printed with glitter, these meticulous compositions paired with vibrant imagery, invite viewer to contemplate the intricate interplay between life, death, and the enduring allure of transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNamed after the formidable Empress of Ethiopia, 'Taytu Betul' exudes a palpable sense of motion and velocity. Following her marriage to Emperor Menelik in 1889, Taytu Betul emerged as a staunch defender of Ethiopian sovereignty, adamantly resisting imperialism and instrumental in the founding of Addis Ababa. The composition centers on a spiraling arrangement of red and black butterfly wings, evoking the dynamism of Taytu Betul's leadership and her active engagement in defending Ethiopian borders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe focal point of 'Taytu Betul' is the spiraling formation of wings, extending outward from the center with a momentum reminiscent of the Empress's military campaigns. Surrounding this central motif are additional arrangements of wings in various colors and patterns, serving as a backdrop to the main action. The composition offers viewers an aerial perspective, capturing the energy and movement of the butterflies in flight as they swirl and develop dynamically across the print.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Damien Hirst","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57052475916662,"sku":"INV-HIRD-0001","price":3500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0086\/0884\/1833\/files\/4a62ff76-73b4-41bb-a0b5-b181da19420b-l.jpg?v=1772098588"},{"product_id":"wu-zetian","title":"Wu Zetian","description":"\u003cp\u003e'The Empresses' encapsulates Hirst's exploration of butterfly symbolism and historical narratives, intertwining themes of power, stability, and beauty. A series of five laminated Giclée prints on aluminium composite, screen printed with glitter, these meticulous compositions paired with vibrant imagery, invite viewer to contemplate the intricate interplay between life, death, and the enduring allure of transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRife with symbolism and with a hexagonal composition at its centre, ‘Wu Zetian’ is named for the ruthless yet successful Chinese ruler. In 655 CE Wu Zetian (624-705 CE) married Emperor Gaozong and became empress, much to the dismay of many statesmen who she soon eliminated in an infamous reign of terror that she maintained over the innermost circles of government. Despite the politics and violence within, Wu Zetian proved to be a competent leader, creating stability and consolidating the Tang Dynasty at a time when it appeared to be crumbling.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Damien Hirst","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57052476735862,"sku":"INV-HIRD-0002","price":3500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0086\/0884\/1833\/files\/499c9202-9b08-47e5-a172-71764c6a7915-l.jpg?v=1772098608"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0086\/0884\/1833\/collections\/Taytu_Batul_5_b081de38-f247-49e6-add9-6ba808c1dc42.jpg?v=1781276566","url":"https:\/\/hancockgallery.co.uk\/collections\/damien-hirst.oembed","provider":"Hancock Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}