It is a refreshing and enjoyable experience to be surrounded by colourful, optimistic paintings of cherry blossom, especially from an artist from whom we expect to see dead sheep in formaldehyde! The series, Hirst says, took him back to his childhood, when he watched his Irish mother painting cherry blossom.
Damien Hirst's show in Paris lasts until January 2nd, 2022 at the Cartier Fondation for Modern Art on the left bank, not far from Montparnasse.
The Bristol-born, Leeds and London trained artist has reached a certain maturity in decoration with this exhibition. He has also returned to a more traditional kind of painting. There are echoes of Jackson Pollock's action painting and the Pointillists in this exhibition.
One has the impression of being in a forest of cherry trees.
Since the beginning of his career as a painter, Damien Hirst has experimented with dabs or spots of colour. Earlier series were more controlled and schematic.
In this latest series he appears more spontaneous and lyrical. It suits him.
Over his career, Hirst has produced paintings, sculptures and installations, his main themes being life and death, fragility and excess. Painting was perhaps not so popular with young British artists in the 90s when he was in the public eye with such notorious conceptual works as his dead animals and fish in formaldehyde. Such works convey the artist's angst, but may be physically unpleasant for the spectator.
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| The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 1991 |
The preserved tiger shark helped win him the Turner prize in 1995.
The focal point of his Turner exhibition was his 'Mother and Child Divided', featuring a sliced up cow with her calf, also sliced in half, contained in turquoise formaldehyde in 4 separate glass tanks in between which the visitors walked.
By contrast, Hirst's butterfly series of 2007 - 9 was decorative. Here is his one-off 'Butterfly spin' painting, using acrylic and metal paint on paper:
Hirst is also famous for his diamond-encrusted skulls, a glamorous memento mori.
However, he has profited from the claustrophobic pandemic period to return to a more introspective and traditional art form with his jubilatory cherry blossoms. People who were not particularly fans of Damien Hirst must surely be won over. He has spent 3 years creating, contemplating, adjusting and displaying these works. the result is very fulfilling and mood-lifting for the spectator. This is Hirst celebrating life, instead of reminding us of death and decay.
A close-up reveals his artistry. The paint is quite thickly applied, seemingly random. The artist, in an interview with Tim Marlow (Director of the London Design Museum), said he wanted the spectator to look into the depth of the painting and beyond it.
The works on display represent a bridge between the figurative world and the abstract. From his earlier provocative forays into the real world of dissected bodies, Hirst relaxes into lyrical decorative style, while still demanding of the viewer a physical reaction.
Thirty of the Cherry Blossom series, of which he has done 107 in all, are on show here.
The experience of immersion in his large-format paintings works in the same way as Monet's cathedrals or Rothko's colour fields. There is more impact with several paintings than just one.
All the panels have evocative names like 'Precious moments' or 'Love's Blossom' . They are in varied colour schemes, redder, or bluer or pinker, providing different sensual experiences for the visitor.
Hirst worked vertically, unlike Jackson Pollock. One might imagine that in the crazy art world of the moment his paint splattered trousers would auction for a tidy sum. They afford a certain camouflage!
The Fondation Cartier forms an oasis on the left bank. Behind the very modern glass building, designed by Jean Nouvel, is an area of gardens and a café where one may relax.
In the gardens there are other discoveries to be made- for example celebrated cinema director Agnès Varda's tribute to her cat.
The Fondation Cartier is open daily from 11am to 8 pm, except Mondays. Tuesdays open until 10pm.
Address: 261 boulevard Raspail, 75014 Paris. Metro: Raspail
Damien Hirst Cherry Blossoms is on until 2nd January 2022
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