Damien Hirst and Butterfly paintings

Damien Hirst is one of the most popular British artists if not the most popular. His art work brings out as much criticism as it brings support. Even though Hirst works with a wide range of media such as installations, sculpture, painting and drawing, he is most famous for animals preserved in formaldehyde and his butterfly paintings. Whitecube.com states that “Hire explores the uncertainty at the core of human experience; love, life, death, loyalty and betrayal through unexpected and unconventional media.” The use of unconventional media such as animals preserved in formaldehyde is the source of most of his criticism. However questions have also risen about the originality and the authenticity of his art work. A great number of people have accused Hirst of copying and or being influenced by their work but he has not acknowledged their influence or the contribution. In this month (September of 2008) Hirst sold almost all of his art work through an action house in London. He stated that selling art through an action house is a “more diplomatic” way of selling art.


In the auction held this month, two of his butterfly paintings were sold to charities. Of all of his artwork I have seen, his butterfly collection has been the one to divert my attention to it. His butterfly paintings are made up of actual butterflies dispensed in paint. Looking at each of these paintings from a distance makes them seem like stain glass windows. The butterfly wings are arranged in some sort of circular pattern with a light color in the middle, then a layer of dark color around it which is usually then followed by another lighter pattern around it. This pattern makes it seem like there is light coming from the center that is being dispensed throughout the painting. Also the light pattern around the dark pattern emphasizes the circular pattern of the painting. Also from a distance each of the wings being a different color than the ones next to it seems as if they are small piece of glass. This is because of the bright color of each of the wings. Overall, the pattern and the arrangement of the painting make it look more like a stain glass window than anything else. This is also one of the softer works of Damien Hirst compared to other formaldehyde animals.

contemporary art 1

This painting is hanging on the first floor of the Krasa Center at Benedictine University at Lisle, IL. This painting was done by Jeanette Pasin Sloan- a Chicago artist. Pasin Sloan is known for her still lives surrounded by patterned background.

I choose this painting to write about because of its photography like perfection. The bright red color throughout the picture is also very attention grabbing.

The red color with the green and white pattern makes it seem as if there is a drapery or a blanket on the background. The cup which is drawn with much perfection looks like it is originally a bright silver material. This I assume because of the small gray colored portion shown inside of the cup. The rest of the color and pattern seen on the cup seems to be a reflection of something. However no pattern is seen inside of the handle of the cup which is facing forward on the painting and there is pattern on the outside of the handle.

I don’t know what to make of the figure on the lower right corner or of the pattern on the cup. But if you look closely you can see the figure on the lower right corner is also on the cup. Even though I don’t know what the figure is, it being there makes the painting look not empty on the bottom because there is nothing else below the cup.

Overall, I like this painting. I really liked how the red color is present throughout the painting, in all the different patterns and on the surrounding area. I also like how the consistency of the color is contrasted with three different patterns. I would describe this painting as being very vibrant.