Damien Hirst

Sculptor and installation artist Damien Hirst entered the public consciousness when, in 1992, his work The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, a shark preserved in formaldehyde in a vitrine, was included in the Saatchi Gallery show "Young British Artists." He has been a prominent figure on the international art scene ever since.

Hirst is largely known for his "Natural History" series in which he encases dead animals, some dissected, in vitrines and for For the Love of God, a platinum skull encased in diamonds worth 15 million pounds.

In June 2007, Hirst set a record for the most expensive artwork sold by a living artist at auction—Lullaby Spring for 19.2 million dollars. Bloomberg.com: Hirst Sets $19.3 Million Record for Living Artist

Hirst's career has been marked with some controversy over both plagiarism and his own public behavior. Hirst has admitted to having suffered from a major drug problem in the early 90s, during which he was banned from London's Groucho Club and engaged in erratic behavior in front of journalists.

In 2002, Hirst gave up drugs, smoking and drinking. He is married to Maia Norman and has three sons, Connor, Cassius and Cyrus. Telegraph.co.uk: 'I knew it was time to clean up my act'

• Tate Collection: Pharmacy by Damien Hirst
  • Tate Collection: Interactive Guide - Damien Hirst: Pharmacy
  • Bloomberg.com: Hirst Sets $19.3 Million Record For Living Artist (2007)
• White Cube: For the Love Of God Viewing Gallery
  • Antropology.net: Damien Hirst’s Diamond Encrusted Skull and Jeweled Skulls in Archaeology
  • BBC News: Hirst Cabinet Sets Auction Record
• Virgin Mother Image
• Flickr: The Virgin Mother Image
  • BBC News: Hirst Statue Unveiled in London (2006)
  • BBC News: Damien Hirst's The Virgin Mother Gallery
  • MSN Encarta: Mother and Child, Divided Image
• Artchive: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living
  • Wikipedia: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living

• Amazon.com: I Want to Spend the Rest of My Life Everywhere...