Untitled Spin Painting by Damien Hirst

Damien Hirst
b. 1965 | British

Untitled, Spin Painting

Household gloss on canvas

Damien Hirst has stunned art audiences globally since his arrival on the scene in the late 1980s. His thought-provoking works have made him one of the most famous living artists of all time, and his effervescent spin paintings are among the most coveted. The present work is an exceptional example from the spin series that exudes the signature energy and vibrancy of Hirst’s spinning compositions. 

Coveted for their monumental visual impact, Hirst’s spin paintings embody a tongue-in-cheek attitude toward the tradition of art history, which places a reverent emphasis on the hand of the painter. The sunburst-like splashes of lime green, red, yellow, orange and blue in this painting were made by dripping paint onto the surface of a motorized canvas. The result is a striking surge of bright, primary color that has been liberated from the artist’s hand to take on its purest form.

Hirst created his first revolutionary spin painting in 1993 while dressed as a clown at a street fair, emphasizing his intention to foreground play and wonder in this series. Inspired by a popular British children’s TV show called Blue Peter, Hirst himself confirmed the role of humor in this work: “I got my idea for the spin paintings from an episode in the 1970s… I remember thinking, that’s fun, whereas art is something more serious… I just thought, why does it have to be like that?” The spin paintings, with their whimsical bursts of color, have become a hallmark of Hirst’s renowned practice, contrasting with the neatness of his spot paintings and the darker themes of his formaldehyde and butterfly works.

Hirst remains one of the most in-demand artists on the contemporary art market, with both museums and private collectors competing for his works. In September 2008, a Sotheby’s auction of Hirst’s work raised $198 million dollars—ten times higher than any single artist’s sale at Sotheby’s—and his spin paintings alone have fetched over $1 million at auction. This bold spin painting offers the rare opportunity to own a work by one of art history’s greatest renegades.

This work is accompanied by a letter from the Hirst Authentication Committee and will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné. 

Painted 2010

Canvas: 48″ high x 48″ wide (121.92 x 121.92 cm)
Frame: 50″ high x 50″ wide x 2″ deep (127 x 127 x 5.08 cm)

Provenance:
Private Collection, acquired directly from the artist
M.S. Rau, New Orleans