Damien Hirst seems to be a target of regular attack as the ever increasing sceptics doubt his true artistic ability

 Damien Hirst seems to be a target of regular attack as the ever increasing sceptics doubt his true artistic ability

 

The weekend press has disclosed that 'other artists' are claiming plagiarism of their works and as an observer this appears to be a regular cry of 'unfairness'!

 

Added to this there are also critics that doubt the validity of certain artists including Damien Hirst  really being 'artists'

 

To me the sniping is in part jealousy as we're for ever told of Damien's wealth as if the old kernel  of measuring success only relates to money rather than that rare gift of artistic interpretation and inate skills.

The article I read suggested hopefully not slanderously that 'the prices' paid for this alleged art was an extension of the hedge fund operators' lack of understanding and appreciation of 'art' and possibly just an investment which in part is mirrored by the many daily artistic purchases for the inevitable profit rather than their intrinsic value.

 

One interpretation is that these ill gotten gains  from 'hedging' have caused so much angst in so many sectors within many countries around the globe that we straight forward folk despair.

ARE WE BEING NAIVE?

 

 

 

Damien Hirst has brought public art to a new low ?

I honestly would not wish to be seen as a Jonah and whinger about anything that is considered contemporary, modern, avant garde or abstract.

I'm a follower of minimalism and try to integrate these feelings and interests into what we've amassed in our three score years and ten+years by way of  our collections and inherited pieces to form a 'comfortable' mix and match within our home.

We go to most exhibitions and sculpture parks during the course of any one year although avoiding the super hyped and marketed bonanzas that tend to promote themselves in a similar manner to the advertising sector where everything is measured in ABC Audit stats and depth of viewers and one presumes these figures are then used when trying to attract other Gallery Collections from around the globe.

It wouldn't surprise me if the lending gallery/museum not actually gains some form of fee for lending the collection but is also seduced by being offered a % of the ticket price as well. One mustn't forget all the merchandising revenue that can be generated and specific licensing programmes around the particular showing gallery's marketing strategy where again a % could go back to the lenders.

In marketing terms sometimes sensationalism can work and having witnessed 4/5 weeks of editorials and pics covering the catwalk shows it becomes obvious that the choice of venue and some quirky accent piece such as an extraordinary hat worn by one of the models gains the press coverage and column inches.

 

You know that the day after the recent Damien Hirst Show finished at TATE MODERN they immediately published that 'they' had gained 3000 visitors a day - did all the viewers come away appreciating 'the art' or merely being able to 'name drop and tick the box' as to suggest that they were artistic groupies?

Therefore what ever I'm told or preached to about certain aspects of art being a natural evolution of what is a very visual presence that can seen as beauty I refute.

 

I very definitely feel that some of what we're shown is certainly not ART and has no intrinsic value and regardless of the novelness and years of press hype and unforgivable press adulation is not worthy of any attention.

 

Damien Hurst's latest monstrosity in Ilfracombe is ugly, lacking in any artistic skills or subliminal thinking and is an eye opener to the sorry state that we've been bludgeoned into by accepting many of his similar tasteless and non inspirational works.

Let's not be naive it's all about

MONEY

Hirst has lent this dubious offering in the guise of art to Ilfracombe for 20 years and the sceptics amongst us would suggest that that is the only way he could have 'palmed' it onto anyone,town/village/gallery or museum .

In the interviews I've heard and read it gives the impression that this odd and hopefully not permanent edifice is acceptable to the local souvenir shops, cafes and ice cream vans in as much that people will come and gawp show their ridicule and possible disgust have a cup of tea and depart.

 

Does this 'happening'suggest that this is ART

 

GOD FORBID

 

Blackpool Tower, Brighton Pier and the Angel of the North are much more attractive and PERMANENT.

Below is what I wrote earlier about other aspects of Damien Hirst's dubious skills

 Damien Hirst - plagiarism and a 'con'?

Spastics Society 'collection doll' now 22ft. in height and weighing 22 tonnes !!!!

    IS REPLICATION TRUE ART??

A replication of a Bluebird Toys/Torquil Norman commission for aiding the teaching of science and the 'construction' of our bodies! 

Now named HYMN by Damien

TAKEN AT THE LAUNCH OF HIS VERY RECENTLY COMPLETED TATE MODERN EXHIBITION WHERE HE ENJOYED A RECORD OF SOME 3000 DAILY  VISITORS

What do we consider to be original art and in turn what do we consider to be a copy, plagiarism or a facsimile of somebody else's creation?

The observations and critiques have raged on for many a year about Damien Hirst and being an avid reader of the broadsheet press and the ever enlarging coverage/column inches on all aspects of art there are varying points of view.

I've archived all Damien's press editorials and pics from the broadsheets since late 90's but have been archiving all areas of ART since the early 80's and have some 1250 files covering every artist that has gained press - quite an archive as it traces over the years the enormous appreciation in value of works of artists who that die and those that gain popularity in their life time thanks to every aspect of the media.

The reason for some one like Damien doing most successfully what he has along with Charles Saatchi, Jay Jopling, Sothebys and the collectors is the motivation of money

MONEY

JAY JOPLING

DAMIEN & MONEY

CHARLES SAATCHI

For some obscure reason 'success' is measured by the amount of money you have!!!

The big question is "is Damien's success as a contemporary artist valid or is it a 'CON'?

He doesn't appear to be bother or care about the flack and criticisms- would you if you're sitting on 'a cash pile'?

Initially during the 90's, when in my mid 50's, I couldn't grasp the rationale and thinking behind Damien's offer. At all times I would traditionally take a middle route of 'sitting on the fence' not wishing to be seen  as a doom and gloom Sayer, as in truth I didn't know, it all being so new and alternative, although in truth my subliminal thoughts were 'what a load of rubbish'

When one thinks back over the last 100+ years from the Impressionists/Monet to Picasso, Magritte, L. S .Lowry, Frances Bacon, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollack, Lucian Freud and David Hockney there will always be new directions and evolutions but the art has to be acceptable to the collector or the artist would starve.

So for me I play safe and not be too outspoken after all I'm not Brian Sewell!!

Damien having been supported over the years by Charles Saatchi particularly in the 90's and the mania generally for the Young British Artists (YBA's) such as Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas and Damien was for me  a time of confusion. Like many of us, laymen/women, when a new wave and  direction in certain areas of the art scene are presented to us on a very regular basis we become bludgeoned into taking in a vague acceptance of what we were being shown because of the enormous sums ploughed into the market by Charles Saatchi and others. - creating a market and thereby value

Lets face it it is difficult to establish in one's own mind what is acceptable when been pushed and pushed again into some form of acceptance by the sheer weight of support in column inches and the interminable Radio and TV discussions explaining the skills and thought process of these 'young creators'.

Almost a matter of  "By weight of numbers we will succeed"

White Cube in Hoxton Square followed with again enormous help from Jay Jopling and then off Damien went independently divorcing himself from agents and galleries and going direct to Sothebys where he cleared some £110,000,000!!! in one auction.

The big area of disquiet for me is Damien's replication of other people's creational  skills such as found in his rip off of Norman Emms, designer of a number of toys and models, some for Disney such as the Thunderbirds, of an anatomical model named by Damien - Hymn -but originally commissioned by Bluebird(Polly Pocket - Torquil Norman/pilot and massive supporter of The Roundhouse) for use in science educational classes,eventually Bluebird was taken over by Airfix - Humbrol - Hull and run by by an old colleague of mine - Frank Martin now running very successfully Hornby(model trains) who over the years then acquired Airfix!! There is then Damien's copy of a 1960's Spastics Society's collection doll it being a 22ft 6 tonne bronze cast model!!

Accepting that Andy Warhol 'borrowed' other people's images he did create an alternative view and flair with his 'grids' and alternating colours where as I personally feel that Damien has offered nothing creatively he merely rescaling the examples I've identified.

Does he care?  I doubt very much, he being heralded as one of the most successful living artists of today and from the figures stated this week he has just completed the most successful individual artist exhibition at Tate Modern, attracting some 463,000 visitors - 3000 per day!!!

All images used on the Leslie Creasey Blog are from my hand clipped archive documenting 35 years of Style and Design media.  For all enquiries please contact leslie@charismatic-brands.com.