Cold winter seasides rendered in the style of Abstract Expressionism in Hirst's paintings inspired by his childhood holidays
Following the HENI exhibition
Where the Land Meets the Sea
(2023), this elegant and uniquely designed large-format hardback catalog features large-scale oil works from three series by British artist Damien Hirst (born 1965):
Coast Paintings
,
Sea Paintings
and
Seascapes
. The paintings are inspired by his childhood memories of holidays spent in British coastal destinations such as Scarborough, Filey, Whitby and Skegness, and his lifelong pastime of beach walks during UK winters. Hirst was influenced in part by Abstract Expressionism, specifically Robert Motherwell's
Beside the Sea
paintings from the 1960s. With their spattered textures mimicking sprays of water, Hirst's paintings reveal an unerring captivation with the sea and its connections with awe, inevitability and nothingness. The exhibition catalog showcases full-color reproductions of the complete works, complemented by thoughtful texts from British writer and curator David Campany and British art critic James Cahill.