Pharmacy, 1992,
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Sinner, 1988
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Hirst made Sinner during his degree, using the empty pill packets and bottles from his grandmother’s bathroom cabinet. He had asked her to leave them to him in her will. He then went on to make several more series. Although he uses the outer packaging and bottles, I still find resonances between his work and mine. He says
‘You can only cure people for so long and then they’re going to die anyway. You can’t arrest decay but these medicine cabinets suggest you can.’ (Hirst in Dannett, 1993)
That first cabinet, at least, also had a story. It was a memorial to his grandmother. It deals with our collective frailty and ultimately our mortality He’s also elevating ubiquitous items by incorporating them into his work. He says that his cabinets ‘explore the distinction between life and death, myth and medicine.’ (ibid.) I think my beginnings of a sculpture do too.
Hirst, D. (no date) Medicine cabinets 2012, Available at: http://www.damienhirst.com/texts1/series/medicine-cabinets (Accessed 12 January 2020)
Hirst, D (1993) in Dannatt, A. (1993) ‘Life’s Like This and Then It Stops’ Flash Art no. 169
‘You can only cure people for so long and then they’re going to die anyway. You can’t arrest decay but these medicine cabinets suggest you can.’ (Hirst in Dannett, 1993)
That first cabinet, at least, also had a story. It was a memorial to his grandmother. It deals with our collective frailty and ultimately our mortality He’s also elevating ubiquitous items by incorporating them into his work. He says that his cabinets ‘explore the distinction between life and death, myth and medicine.’ (ibid.) I think my beginnings of a sculpture do too.
Hirst, D. (no date) Medicine cabinets 2012, Available at: http://www.damienhirst.com/texts1/series/medicine-cabinets (Accessed 12 January 2020)
Hirst, D (1993) in Dannatt, A. (1993) ‘Life’s Like This and Then It Stops’ Flash Art no. 169