The cows come home…Torquay

Brilliant artist or or waste of art space?…

… Love him or hate him you have to admire Damien Hirst as one of the World’s most famous and successful artists.

Bristol born (June ’65) Hirst has turned his 6th Form E grade and a refusal of entry to Leeds college of Art and Design into a fairly impressive portfolio of works. He is now an internationally renowned artist with a host of achievements to his name (including a Turner Prize’95, a record sale for any single artist’s collection at Sotheby’s in 2008 -£111million- and a record sale of £10.3million for his piece ‘The Golden Calf’ to name but a few). He is also rumored to be the richest artist to date.

Charles Saatchi’s discovery of Damien Hirst, thanks to the influence of his university lecturer at Goldsmiths College, London, undoubtedly opened doors and opportunities for Hirst. Saatchi funded the creation of and displayed a number of Hirst’s collections at his gallery until they parted ways in 2003.

From Artist to Chartist.

As well as topping the art charts this famous artist also turned his hand to a spot of music. In 1998 he formed the ‘band’ Fat Les along with Alex James (of Blur) and actor Keith Allen. They achieved a number 2 hit with football theme ‘Vindaloo’. He also designed the cover for ‘Band Aid 20′ but is design was changed from the original depicting the Grim Reaper and a child to a less offensive version with a reindeer in snow next to a child. Our artist likes to create controversy

Closer to home.

Since the birth of his third child (with Californian girlfriend Maia Norman) in 2005, Damien Hirst has spent most of his time at his home near Combe Martin.

Damien Hirst has dabbled in all kinds of art types but is best known for his spin paintings (created on a spinning circular surface), spot paintings (rows of randomly coloured circles) and his installations. He is perhaps signified most by a piece he exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1993 ‘Mother and Child, Divided’. The piece in question, comprising a cow and calf, both cut in half and preserved in formaldehyde is set to go on display in Torquay later this year as Torre Abbey plays host to an exhibition of works borrowed from the Tate and the Arts Council Collection. It is hoped that the exhibition will follow the success of last year’s Antony Gormley Field For The British Isles exhibition which attracted many visitors to the Bay, thereby boosting the local economy.

If you want to see thexhibition for yourself, then why not enjoy your holidays in Devon at the Toorak Hotel - just across the road from Torre Abbey. Call 01803 400500.