We reported last week that the Turner Prize winning artist Damien Hirst has received planning permission to build a town in Devon, well to continue his quest for world domination, he has now announced that he will be putting his personal art collection on display in his own private museum in Lambeth, South London, in 2015. The gallery which dominates an entire street is currently being designed by the architects Caruso St John who renovated Tate Britain.
The three listed warehouses will be combined to create ‘The Newport Street Gallery’ located on Lambeth street, a spokesperson for Science Ltd, Hirst’s in-house company said; “The gallery will open in”May or June 2015”.
The new gallery will exhibit Hirst’s massive art collection which contains over 2,000 works of art including Francis Bacon’s ‘Study for a figure at the Base of a Crucifixion’, Andy Warhol’s ‘Electric Chair’, Pablo Picasso’s ‘Nature morte au crane’. Murderme, Jeff Koons sculpture and pieces by the Bristol born graffiti artist Banksy. The work which has been valued in excess of £200m and will open to the public free of charge.
Hirst has called the gallery “my Saatchi Gallery” adding “It’s a place to show my collection of contemporary art. It feels bad having it all in crates.” The plans include space for six exhibitions, a shop (of course) , a restaurant and office space for Hirst and his vast company interests.