The Guardian reports that Damien Hirst retroactively dated three of his iconic formaldehyde sculptures, including a dove, a shark, and twin calves.
One of the works Myth Explored, Explained, Exploded, 1993-1999 is on show at the Munich Museum of Urban and Contemporary Art. (MUCA)
Despite being exhibited as creations from the 1990s, these pieces were actually crafted in 2017 by Hirst’s team in Dudbridge, Gloucestershire. The controversial move has sparked debate over the authenticity of the artworks, with Hirst’s company defending the practice as consistent with the conceptual nature of his work.
Formaldehyde works are conceptual artworks and the date Damien Hirst assigns to them is the date of the conception of the work. He has been clear over the years when asked what is important in conceptual art; it is not the physical making of the object or the renewal of its parts, but rather the intention and the idea behind the artwork.
Science Ltd
However, inconsistencies in Hirst’s dating methods have also been acknowledged, raising questions about the integrity of the artistic process. While these sculptures have fetched millions at auction, concerns linger about their true origins and the implications for the art market. Critics allege that the works were manipulated to appear older, highlighting the blurred lines between artistry and deception. Despite inquiries into the matter, both Hirst’s studio and galleries have remained tight-lipped, leaving the controversy unresolved.
Conceptual Art
Conceptual art, also referred to as conceptualism, is art in which the concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work are prioritized equally to or more than traditional aesthetic, technical, and material concerns. Some works of conceptual art may be constructed by anyone simply by following a set of written instructions. This method was fundamental to American artist Sol LeWitt’s definition of conceptual art, one of the first to appear in print:
In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes the art
