Born June 7, 1965 in Bristol, England and educated at Leeds College of Art and Design and prestigious University of London, Goldsmiths, artist Damien Hirst's explosive talent is a multi-faceted force to be reckoned with.
Bursting onto the international art scene in the early '90s Hirst is one of the most popular artists that emerged from the Young British Artist movement. Though Hirst is best known for some of his earlier works which consist of various farm animals submerged in vitrines of formaldehyde, Hirst has also been very successful with his spin paintings (which use centrifugal force to disperse paint on a spinning canvas), spot paintings (rows of colored dots) and sculptures.
Hirst's resume, which must be one of the most diverse in England, also includes a directorial credit for Blur's music video for the song "Country House" and, having developed a taste for the director's chair, Hirst later wrote and directed the short film "Hanging Around" starring comedian Eddie Izzard. Branching out even further, Hirst, with actor Keith Allen and Blur's Alex James, started the band Fat Les, making it to number two on the British charts with the song "Vindaloo". He has also been a celebrity guest performer with the London Gay Men's Chorus and even painted the calibration pattern for the unsuccessful British Mars probe "Beagle 2".
Hirst first rose to fame with the help of global advertiser and art collector Charles Saatchi. Under funding from Saatchi, Hirst was able to produce some of his most iconic works including "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living"; a 14-foot tiger shark encased in a vitrine of formaldehyde, which was one of his many pieces shown at the prominent Saatchi Gallery in London. Saatchi and Hirst had a very successful and mutually beneficial work relationship until 2003 when they dissolved in part due to a disagreement over which man had most benefitted the other's profile.
Nominated in 1992 for the coveted Turner Prize for British artists under 50, Hirst lost to fellow artist Grenville Davey before his second nomination and win in 1995. In 2007 Hirst broke his own previous record to gain, once again, the illustrious distinction of being the most expensive living artist with his piece "For the Love of God" selling for almost one million U.S. dollars to an unknown investment group.
Having battled a serious cocaine and alcohol addiction throughout the '90s, a cleaned-up, and perhaps more mature Hirst lives with his wife, Maia, and their three young sons in their remote farmhouse in Devon, England. Somehow he has also found the time to open the successful restaurant 11 the Quay in the seaside resort town of Ilfracombe. With his boundless versatility it will be exciting to see what's next for Damien Hirst.