Photo: Oli Scarff Getty Images
Written by Hatty Nestor
The discussion and criticism Damien Hirst has generated, whether you like his work or not, cannot be ignored. His ironic statements and dismal pieces have attracted collectors and dealers for years. Some may argue he is even morally vacuous within the auctioning house. His current retrospective at the Tate doesn’t disappoint in the variety of reviews from critics across the broad. Many of these critics have looked unfavourably upon it, or upon Hirst and the agenda he promotes to the public. The philosophical eccentricities of his pieces cannot be denied, but the extravagance of his work and the money behind it is a factor I always find incomprehensible. I’m always seeking new ways of finding integrity within his work, but so far I’ve had no luck.
