Oh, Schadenfreude!
Damien Hirst, For the Love of God
I've kind of been on a heavy metal/ post grunge musical exploration lately, and during my journey I have yet to see anything as metal (or frivoulous) as a medieval skull covered with 8,601 diamonds! Even though Hirst produced For the Love of God over a year ago it's existence is still baffling, well, everyone. (See "Wanting Less", an article in the latest Art Review, by J.J Charlesworth).
Since the economy's recent spiral down the proverbial showerdrain the art world has expectedly crumbled.... Or has it?!
Ironically, the same day that Damien Hirst's auction opened back in September, you remember the one that raked in +/- 111 million G.B.P [exchange rate = that swimming pool of $$$ you dream about], Lehman Brothers announced that they were declaring bankruptcy. As markets and society as a whole across the globe felt the reprocusions of the Bros.' decision one question kept bubbling to the surface: What is good producing? And more specifically in the art world; Is the production of diamond encrusted skulls really that important?.. I mean....realllly important? I don't think anyone, even Damien Hirst, has the omnipotence to really begin to answer the question at hand, but it has been more than interesting to sit back and watch as people try to take self-righteously motivated stabs in the dark.
Hmmm, Stabbing in the Dark? Next metal music phenomenon?....
