Ireland’s most premier art show Art Source attracts thousands of visitors every year. This year, it is expected that over 15,000 people will pay a visit to the exhibition and show. It features 160 of the best contemporary Irish and international artists and galleries, but the major draw is definitely going to be British sculptor and painter Damien Hirst. Or to be precise, his works.
Hirst is a star in his own right. He attracts attention from not only those who love contemporary art, but also those who like to be in the know. He’s always managed to grab the attention of the public as well as critics. Think artwork that featured a shark suspended in a tank of formaldehyde, an installation that was banned from New York by public health officials, great showmanship, awed critics as well as artwork that commands highest prices on the market. That’s just some of the things that come to mind when you think of Hirst. Well, at least to my mind!
The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) does feature one artwork by Hirst, but what the Art Source offers is an opportunity of a lifetime. That’s because the Gormleys stand at Art Source will showcase a substantial exhibition of Hirst’s works. And that is particularly important at the moment, because, Hirst has been burning his artworks!
What, you exclaim. We hear you. If you have missed out on this news, don’t fret. We’ll fill you in. Hirst is doing so because he had given buyers who bought pieces from his latest collection two choices. One was to choose the physical artwork or the NFTs (non-fungible tokens). For the buyers who chose the NFTs, Hirst told them that he would destroy the corresponding physical artworks. He went good on his promise and livestreamed the ‘event’ to his followers as well! It has been estimated the works that were burned/destroyed are collectively worth almost £10 million.
So now you know why the opportunity to view his works at the Art Source is not to be missed. It’s a definite attraction, and should you want to book your tickets to Art Source here is the link.
It takes place at RDS Hall 1 (Main Hall), Merrion Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland and the timings are as follows: Friday 11th November 11am – 9pm, Saturday 12th November 10am – 6pm and Sunday 12th November 10am – 6pm.