Synopses & Reviews
Damien Hirst (b. 1965), arguably the most well-known artist at work today, has here created a fantastic ABC, using his art to illustrate the alphabet in a large-format board book for art lovers of all ages. Filled with dissected cows and sheep, butterflies, the incredible diamond skull, and many other well-known Hirst themes, the book spans his entire career, and illustrates how his body of work addresses the scientific, philosophical, and religious issues that lie at the heart of human existence.
Praise for Damien Hirst ABC:
and#147;Never have we seen the alphabet spelled out with such compelling corresponding visualsand#151;this is a picture book weand#8217;re happy to share with our less than well-behaved toddler friends.and#8221; and#151;DomaineHome.com
and#147;Nothing captures the seasonand#8217;s spirit like Damien Hirst ABC, in which the original Young British Artist interprets the alphabet, from A is for Anatomy to Z is for (pickled) Zebra.and#8221; and#151;Vogue
and#147;Geared toward art fans of all ages and features an assortment of the artistand#8217;s work like cheerful butterflies, fish and unicorns.and#8221; and#151;USA Todayand#8217;s Pop Candy blog
and#147;Delightfully skewed, and#145;fun for all the familyand#8217; board book is letter-perfect.and#8221; and#151;Chicago Tribune
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Synopsis
This book is a creative guide to the making of arguably the most extraordinary art object to be made in the 21st century. Published to accompany the 2007 exhibition "Damien Hirst: Beyond Belief" at White Cube, it gives a fascinating pictorial insight into how Hirst's diamond skull piece "For the Love of God" was conceived and produced.
Illustrated with candid behind-the-scenes photographs by Johnnie Shand Kydd, the book includes a number of preparatory drawings by Damien Hirst and a fold-out image of the diamond skull.
Accompanying this is an essay by the art historian Rudi Fuchs, who writes, "The skull is out of this world, celestial almost. I tend to see it as a glorious intense victory over death." A number of leading experts in the fields of archeology and dentistry have also contributed detailed studies on the diamond skull, including analyses of its age and ancestry.
About the Author
Born in Bristol, England,
Damien Hirst studied at Goldsmithand#8217;s College and in 1988 curated the now-renowned London exhibition Freeze. In 1991, he had his first solo exhibition, and in 1992 his work was a major part of the groundbreaking Young British Artists exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. Hirst was awarded the prestigious Tate Gallery Turner Prize in 1995. Hirstand#8217;s work has been shown in numerous important group and solo shows in major museums and galleries throughout the world, and is in many major museum collections. In 2012 the most comprehensive exhibition of Hirstand#8217;s work to date broke attendance records at Tate Modern, London.
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