Would you want Damien Hirst's new piece of art in your town?

As usual, art is dividing opinion, and it is rarely divided so much than when British artist Damien Hirst creates something.

This time, a 20m high bronze statue is going to be placed on the pier of a seaside town in Devon, UK. It is of a naked pregnant woman, with one side of her body intact, and the other half looking like an anatomy model....complete with feotus being displayed....

The artistic merit of Damien Hirst's giant bronze statue of a pregnant woman has split opinions in Ilfracombe, but it also raises the issue of the role of public art in regenerating a town.

She has been called outrageous, immoral, bizarre, obscene, offensive, disgusting, grotesque, a monstrosity, of no artistic merit and demeaning to women.

Others see her as beautiful and unique, with the power to transform a town's tired image and boost its economy.

Will Damien Hirst's bronze statue Verity regenerate Ilfracombe?

Now as far as Hirst's work is concerned, i have a kind of love/hate relationship with it. Some of his pieces, once you get over the shock value and see the message behind it, are quite fascinating.

She holds the traditional symbols denoting Justice - a sword and scales - though the scales are hidden behind her back.

Hirst's website notes: "Without the perfect equilibrium enacted by the scales, the sword becomes a dangerous instrument of power, rather than justice"

Some of his pieces, i think my kids could do a better job.

I think people misjudge the guy a lot purely based on his art, and when you watch him being himself, he is pretty funny and the kind of person i think i would get on with. A very dry and sometimes dark sense of humour.

As far as his artwork though, and especially this piece, i think there is a time and a place for certain artwork. In the back of my mind i'm thinking about the tourism, especially the kids seeing this, then again it appears that kids are loving it.

I do think it will bring people into the town though.

Any thoughts?

CX.

reply to post by CX


I think the piece is fantastically beautiful.

I see zero problems with this work.

Are people afraid that a naked pregnant woman with 1/2 anatomical will provoke men to fap in public around her?

Is there a concern for all the, um, sea men in a sea side town?

I have no idea what I think I read, ugh

reply to post by CX


I like it, but then i like most of his stuff. It kind of looks like a fertility goddess, almost like a return to the old gods!

On the other hand, i can easily imagine the snooty locals moaning about tumbling property prices and the like.

What "shock value"? All I see is a anatomically nearly correct pregnant woman. Have seen that in real live, before. Better than some of that impressionistic/non-descript crap you usually get presented as "art" - which does in fact look like a child could have done it with clay, thoughtless playing around.

Come on, give me a break! At my work, I can look out at a garden full of modern art. Some pieces of that don't even look like that the artist did spend more than (lets say) about 2 hrs designing them. But never ever try to find a price-tag for them - as you would spin and bore right through earths crust into the mantle and down to the core..

I love that old woman's comment in the video " we've got enough pregnant women in this town, without having another one" . Made me chuckle.

I like it, next time I'm in Devon will definitely check it out.

I'm not sure what to think.
I like it but I don't.

reply to post by CX


I believe the role of art is to be inspirational or confrontational. This piece of work seems to succeed on both counts. I really like it. from me.

Thanks for the thread.

* Ned

I like his sculptures and some of his paintings/stained glass work,so I don't have a problem with this statue.
It looks like alot of work went into it.

However I do not like his "dead animals in jars"garbage.
I just don't get that as art.

reply to post by CX


Personally I hate the guy. I have a friend who worked for him. He gets art students to paint crappy pictures for him, signs them and sells them for hundreds of pounds. Then he pays his employees peanuts...

I really don't like him...

Originally posted by Wide-Eyes
reply to post by CX

 

Personally I hate the guy. I have a friend who worked for him. He gets art students to paint crappy pictures for him, signs them and sells them for hundreds of pounds. Then he pays his employees peanuts...

I really don't like him...

I'd heard that before, i guess the students aren't fussed if they get to work with a big art name, if they were that bothered they wouldn't do it would they. Crap as it may be, you can see how he makes so much money.

Having a rich sponsor helps too.

The more i look at the sculpture though, the more i find it worth sticking it up there rather than not.

CX.

My younger Bro just alerted me to the possible Nordic connection.
Hel,the ancient nord goddess,was depicted very much like the new statue.





Hmm,he could be on to something.

reply to post by Silcone Synapse


If it wasnt inspired by Hel, he had a heck of a muse whispering in his ear!