Damien Hirst (1965) is a British artist, born in 1965, and one of the best-known figures in contemporary art. He is best known for his controversial and often shocking works that explore the boundaries of art and concepts such as death, life and science.
Hirst is a leading figure in the Young British Artists (YBA), a group of artists who rose to international prominence in the 1990s. His work often uses unusual materials, such as dead animals, medicines, and pharmaceuticals. One of his most iconic works is The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991), a shark preserved in formaldehyde in a glass case.
Other famous works by Hirst include his Spot Paintings (coloured dots on a white surface) and his Medicine Cabinets series (medicine cabinets filled with pills and bottles).
Hirst's work often raises questions about the role of the artist, the value of art and the way we deal with life and death. He has received both admiration and criticism for his work, but remains an influential figure in the world of contemporary art
