damien hirst composes black scalpel cityscapes from surgical tools

damien hirst composes black scalpel cityscapes from surgical tools
damien hirst
rio (detail), 2014
scalpel blades, skin graft blades, zips, stitching needles, aluminium filings, pins, stainless steel studs, fish hooks, steel wire cutting spool and gloss paint on canvas
78 1/16 x 113 3/8 in. (198.3 x 288 cm)
© damien hirst and science ltd. all rights reserved, DACS 2014
photo: prudence cuming associates ltd
courtesy white cube
 

damien hirst: black scalpel cityscapes
white cube, são paolo
now through january 31, 2015

renowned british artist damien hirst reveals a new collection of paintings for an exhibition at white cube gallery in são paolo. the ‘black scalpel cityscapes’ — described by the artist as ‘portraits of living cities’ — are comprised of surgical instruments, arranged in compositions of a bird’s-eye map view of urbanized sites. both the built world and natural elements are depicted with scalpels, razor blades, hooks, iron filings and safety-pins, and set against black backgrounds. the 17 cities included in the exhibition are either sites of recent conflict, places relating to the artist’s own life, or epicenters of economic, political or religious significance — washington D.C. ; rome and the vatican city; leeds (where hirst grew up); beijing; moscow; new york; and london. in a film by white cube, hirst discusses his exhibition with tim marlow, where he discusses the series and its symbolic significance.

damien hirst
rio, 2014
scalpel blades, skin graft blades, zips, stitching needles, aluminium filings, pins, stainless steel studs, fish hooks, steel wire cutting spool and gloss paint on canvas
78 1/16 x 113 3/8 in. (198.3 x 288 cm)
© damien hirst and science ltd. all rights reserved, DACS 2014
photo: prudence cuming associates ltd
courtesy white cube

‘black scalpel cityscapes’ alludes to the ‘all-seeing eye’ and the inevitable realities of modern life, which include surveillance — that of virtual tools such as google earth — urbanization, globalization and elements relating to the universal human condition. simultaneously, the project draws a metaphorical reference to the military procedure of ‘surgical bombing’ or ‘surgical strikes’ — commonly used in modern warfare — which aim to limit collateral damage by targeting precise areas for destruction.

damien hirst
leeds, 2014
scalpel blades, skin graft blades, zips, fish hooks and gloss paint on canvas
72 x 108 in. (182.9 x 274.3 cm)
© damien hirst and science ltd. all rights reserved, DACS 2014
photo: prudence cuming associates td
courtesy white cube

damien hirst
london, 2014
scalpel blades, skin graft blades, razor blades, zips, stitching needles, tattoo needles, pins, fish hooks, safety pins and gloss paint on canvas
72 x 108 in. (182.9 x 274.3 cm)
© damien hirst and science ltd. all rights reserved, DACS 2014
photo: prudence cuming associates ltd
courtesy white cube

damien hirst
london (detail), 2014
scalpel blades, skin graft blades, razor blades, zips, stitching needles, tattoo needles, pins, fish hooks, safety pins and gloss paint on canvas
72 x 108 in. (182.9 x 274.3 cm)
© damien hirst and science ltd. all rights reserved, DACS 2014
photo: prudence cuming associates ltd
courtesy white cube

damien hirst
leeds (detail), 2014
scalpel blades, skin graft blades, zips, fish hooks and gloss paint on canvas
72 x 108 in. (182.9 x 274.3 cm)
© damien hirst and science ltd. all rights reserved, DACS 2014
photo: prudence cuming associates ltd
courtesy white cube