Focus: Damien Hirst

Life, death, suffering, loyalty, and betrayal are among the ambiguities of the human condition explored in the provocative and, at times, controversial works of British artist Damien Hirst. Best known for his Natural History works, displaying animals suspended in formaldehyde in industrial vitrines, Hirst’s diverse, multi-disciplinary oeuvre reframes fundamental questions regarding the uncertainty and fragility of life. Focus: Damien Hirst examines these themes, among others, in the Kemper Museum’s holdings by this prominent artist, including the print series The Last Supper (1999).

Above, left: Damien Hirst, Chicken, 1999, from The Last Supper (detail); 13 color screenprints, published by Paragon Press, edition of 150, 60 x 40 inches; Bebe and Crosby Kemper Collection, Museum Purchase, Enid and Crosby Kemper and William T. Kemper Acquisition Fund, 2003.18.1–13