Tate Modern, has found it necessary to reinforces the third floor gallery floors in preparation for the major Damien Hirst exhibition which is coinciding with the 2012 cultural Olympiad. The Hirst solo show which is opens April 4 and runs until September 9, is partly made up of vitrine type tanks which hold thousands of litres of formaldehyde.
The exhibition will be the first substantial survey of Hirst’s work. This is hardly a retrospective, given Hirst’s age. It will instead cover in-depth two decades of the artist’s output. The exhibition will highlight works including many of his most iconic pieces such as, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991 (the shark) and his Spot and Spin paintings. The exhibition is sponsored by the Qatar Museums Authority and takes place during the period of the Olympics. I leave it up to you to leave your opinion at the bottom in the comments section.
The Tate stated; “Tate Modern is undergoing a major building project, which will see the opening of the Tanks on the south side of the building this summer, and the completion of an extension above them over the coming years,” says a spokesman. “As part of this project, various developments are taking place in the existing building, too. For example, we recently undertook work to reconfigure Level 3 for temporary exhibitions and Level 4 for collection displays. Damien Hirst will be the first of these exhibitions on Level 3, with new displays opening on Level 4 this summer.”
Damien Hirst was born in Bristol in 1965. He studied Fine Art at Goldsmiths, University of London from 1986 to 1989 and is considered by many to be the leading figure of the group known as “Young British Artists”. The YBAs are characterized by their entrepreneurial spirit, independence and their ability to manipulate the media. Hirst dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. His early career was closely linked with the collector Charles Saatchi, however over the last few years Hirst has distanced himself from this association. Hirst’s work explores the uncertainty at the core of human experience; love, life, death, loyalty and betrayal. His work has been exhibited widely,in Britain, the USA, Australia, and Europe. Work is included in many public and private collections.
He was awarded the Turner Prize in 1995.