Published on the occasion of Relics, Hirsts first retrospective exhibition in Doha, Qatar, this richly illustrated book offers a different perspective on the work of one of the best-known artists working today. Tracing Hirsts career from his emergence on the art scene in the Young British Artists movement to his present status as one of the most controversial and highly regarded artists of his generation, the volume offers a complete overview on his wideranging practice, which includes installation, painting, sculpture and drawing, and challenges the boundaries between art, science and popular culture. The catalog gathers over one hundred works, combining historic oeuvres with more recent projects: from The Kingdom to The history of pain, from Pharmacy to For the Love of God, to the spot, spin and butterfly paintings. With an essay by Francesco Bonami, and an interview to the artist by Nicholas Serota, Director of Tate, the volume offers an original point of view on Hirsts oeuvre, thanks to the essays by the Qatari writer Sophia Al Maria and the Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid. A unique contribution to our understanding and appreciation of Damien Hirst, whose works have become collective icons of our civilization.
