Damein Hirsts £50 million Skull.

To look at I think its gorgeous, cant go wrong with diamonds and skulls are all the rage at the mo.
Im even working on my own diamante/skull works as we speak, and I thought of it before he did, then again neither of us are the first to think of that combination anyway.
Personnaly I dont think its a great contribution to the art world other than it looks pretty.

He didnt even make it apparently, he just had the idea and a collegue made it.

I dont like the odd focal point on the forehead.

If the diamonds are worth 50mill then 50mill it is.I wouldnt pay that amount, little short on funds this month.

There was a huge picture of it in the Sunday NYT mag, I couldn't take my eyes off of it. He says his inspiration was Mexican skulls decorated with turqouise, I like that. I like the whole classic death thing, it's like one of those still-lifes that has the robust bouquet of flowers and then the one dead wilty one to remind us that life is fleeting, or whatever. I like that, I think. There is the whole interesting meta-aspect, how the artwork itself is so intrinsically valuable -- he said something like "the mark-up is much bigger for canvas and paint," heh. Also like that, or am at least intrigued by it.

Then there is the whole "blood diamond" aspect.

Would love to see it "live."

The photo in the mag was approximately life-sized I think, and I kept holding my little engagement ring diamond up to the photo -- that whole thing (my diamond), which wasn't so cheap, is the size of one of the regular "pave" diamonds covering the surface. One of over 8,000 of them. I mean, that's insane!

Here's the pic:



And the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/magazine/03Style-skull-t.html

Such a pretty pic.

As you mentioned what inspired him I thought of that 'Festival of the dead' held somewhere.I like that kind of thing too.

That's Mexico, yes. "Day of the Dead."

http://www.dayofthedead.com/