Damien Hirst, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind if Someone Living, 1991.
First reaction:
Pointless animal cruelty, deliberately shocking.
Emotional response:
Anger. Reluctance to engage further.
What do I think it’s about?
Primarily publicity for the artist. The fact that if you saw this view in another context, you might be about to die (tiger-sharks do prey on humans) yet you still can’t comprehend death. By extension, we take life for granted.
What do I think about the title?
It is thought-provoking and an interesting concept.
Dewater Collier, Still Life with a Volume if Wither’s ‘Emblemes’, 1696
First reaction:
level of detail invites closer viewing, recognisably Vanitas still life with typical symbolism
Emotional response:
Intrigue
What do I think it’s about?
Depicts ‘earthly pleasures’ – wine, fruit, music, jewellery- alongside reminders – skull, hourglass, timepiece – that these things are fleeting and everyone dies.
What do I think of the title?
More of a label, a descriptor.
I so much agree about Damien Hirst.
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I just read an article that counts up the number of animals that have died for his ‘art’, including an estimate of the house flies in the rotting cow-head thing…. it’s over 900,000. Mind-blowing. What a *******
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