New Damien Hirst exhibition, The Civilisation Paintings, will go on show for the first time at Phillips this summer. The exhibition, curated by Connor Hirst, is presented by HENI.
The Civilisation Paintings is a series of 32 paintings which explore the necessity of hope despite the complexities and challenges of contemporary civilisation, something that Hirst achieves in part through his use of vibrant, optimistic colour. In each work, the artist depicts memories or feelings of cities: evoking the exuberant series The Secret Gardens Paintings – metropolitan areas are set amongst thriving vegetation, forming bright, imagined landscapes.
Realistic elements are contrasted with other elements such as Pointillist techniques and thrown paint. Evoking the themes of chaos and hope at the heart of the series, the artist favours the latter practice for its lack of control, embodying his maxim ‘You just have to believe’. Hirst also overlays the compositions with coloured spots arranged in grids, made using the tops of his paint tubes. These formations, immediately recalling his spot paintings, are implemented to evoke the sense of the ordered and engineered elements of cities, which randomly decay and are replaced.
The exhibition is being presented with the support of the artist’s galleries, Gagosian and White Cube.
We are delighted to present new paintings by Damien Hirst at Phillips. The Civilisation Paintings encapsulate the vibrancy and resilience of contemporary life, offering a poignant reflection through Hirst’s masterful interplay of chaos and order. This series not only highlights Hirst’s innovative use of colour and technique but also invites viewers to contemplate the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of our urban landscapes. We are thrilled to be continuing our close collaboration with Damien Hirst and HENI, and it is an honour to showcase such a thought-provoking and visually stunning collection at our London galleries on Berkeley Square.?
— Cheyenne Westphal, Global Chairwoman at Phillips
I’m very excited to present my new Civilisation Paintings at Phillips in London’s Berkeley Square in association with HENI. These paintings are about our civilisations today. I wanted them to feel fantastical and chaotic and on the edge of destruction. It’s often hard to have hope or romanticise about our current landscape or our civilisations but we must have hope, no matter how dark the world gets. But to distract from the nihilism and the hate, I tried to paint them optimistically, like ice cream.
— Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst, The Civilisation Paintings, 5th August – 2nd September 2024, Phillips Berkeley Square
A catalogue of the complete series will be available. For more information, go to HENI Primary.
