HENI releases Paper Blossoms by Damien Hirst, 900 unique original paintings on card featuring the vibrant imagery of his Cherry Blossoms paintings. The paintings will be released on HENI Primary and are available to apply for between 26th October and 14th November 2023 at 17:00 GMT.
The paintings are oil on card, mounted on birch ply frames, with canvas webbing around the edges. Each of the Paper Blossoms is signed and titled by Damien Hirst in oil paint on the verso. There are 300 large Paper Blossoms, measuring 84.2 x 59.6 cm, each priced at US $45,000 (plus any applicable taxes) and 600 small Paper Blossoms, measuring 59.6 x 42.1 cm, priced at US $25,000 (plus any applicable taxes).
Arranged side-by-side across long tables in his studio, Hirst worked on several Paper Blossoms at a time, moving up and down the tables as he built up layers of thick, tactile paint. This process recalls the creation of his monumental Cherry Blossoms paintings:
‘I was getting lost in painting and wanted viewers to get lost in my paintings’.
Damien Hirst
What results from this energetic practice are glimpses of the cherry blossom trees, views of their sprawling branches and gravity-defying blossoms. This intentional and careful use of framing to create more intimate experiences for viewers has long been part of Hirst’s practice, stretching back to his infamous formaldehyde sculptures. As the artist said,
I just want it to be in your face. I want you to feel like you’re too close to it, you know. All the work I’ve made — you know, the sharks, everything, all that sort of stuff — I want it to be aggressive and in your face. I want you to have a physical reaction to it.
All the paintings are on display at the HENI Gallery for the duration of the drop. Admission to the gallery is free, with no appointment required.
Damien Hirst: Paper Blossoms Opening 26th October 2023 HENI Gallery, heni.com/primary/release/
