Damien Hirst has been comissioned to produce the cover to 150th anniversary edition of Charle’s Darwin’s ‘Origin of the Species’.
Maybe they caught him on a day when he was lacking in fresh ideas because his ‘Human Skull In Space’ owes more than a little to fellow bad boy of art Francis Bacon.
Hirst has made no secret in the past of his admiration for Bacon so it wouldn’t have hurt him to acknowledge the source of his ‘inspiration’.
In Francis Bacon’s ‘Number VII from Eight Studies for a Portrait’ from 1953, there’s more flesh on the bone and no space age spots but the similarities are pretty obvious I think.
Hirst wrote about his excitement at getting the commission in a short piece for the Guardian. It’s worth checking the numerous caustic comments – not too many seem enthusiastic about the piece. I wonder why?
I submitted a copy of this post to the excellent site ‘You Thought We Wouldn’t Notice’
