Damien Hirst was born June 7, 1965. He is an English Artist, entrepreneur, and art collector. He was the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists, who dominated the scene in Britain during the 90s.
He took his foundations course at Leeds School of Art. He was rejected by St. Martins but moved to London in 1986 when he was accepted onto the BA Fine Art course at Goldsmiths College, graduating in 1989. While still a student in 1988, Damien conceived, organized, and promoted “Freeze,” an exhibition held in a Dockland’s Warehouse. The show featured several of Hirsts’ pieces, and work by sixteen of his fellow students. This successful self-promoted exhibition is widely believed to have been the starting point for the Young British Artists movement.
Damiens generation was completely different from previous generations. They are characterized by their independence, the entrepreneur spirit, and their media saavy.
Hirst’s work has been an exploration of mortality, a traditional subject that Hirst has updated and extended with wit, verve, originality, and force. He is best known for a series of work in which dead animals are presented as memento mori in forms ironically appropriated from the Museum of Natural History rather than art.
The popularity of Hirst’s unique brand of artistic statement tends to cycle in phases of favour and disdain.