Damien Hirst’s recent exhibition, The Civilisation, has just wrapped up at Phillips auction house in Mayfair, London, after running from August 5 to September 2, 2024. This striking exhibition featured a collection of 32 paintings that explored the delicate balance between chaos and hope in modern life. Curated by Hirst’s son, Connor, the exhibition was a collaboration with HENI, and marked a significant moment in the artist’s career, offering an evocative look at urban life entangled with nature.
Damien Hirst's 'The Civilisation' Exhibition at Phillips London.
The Civilisation Paintings: A Dialogue Between Nature and Modernity
The centrepiece of Hirst’s exhibition was his latest series, The Civilisation Paintings, which offered a vibrant visual exploration of cities set amidst a burst of plant life. Each work juxtaposed sprawling urban environments with flourishing flowers, trees, and wildlife, presenting a scene where the man-made and the organic merge in vivid, unexpected harmony. Buildings, bridges, and urban structures appeared overwhelmed by a riot of colourful blooms, creating a compelling narrative about the endurance of nature within human-created chaos.
Hirst employed a variety of techniques to bring this concept to life. Alongside traditional painting methods, he utilised Pointillist techniques and intentionally chaotic gestures, such as thrown paint, to highlight the unpredictability and disorder that underpins much of urban civilisation. This contrast between order and chaos became a central theme, reflecting the complexities of contemporary society and the enduring human desire for hope amidst it all.
The Civilisation Prints: Capturing Hirst’s Vision
To complement the original Civilisation Paintings, Hirst also released a series of four unique prints. These giclée prints, created on Cotton Smooth Rag, were a continuation of the themes explored in the paintings. Each print measured 143 x 112 cm (framed) and was hand-signed and numbered by the artist, adding a personal touch to these exclusive pieces.
The Civilisation Prints mirrored the vibrant cityscapes overrun by nature, again combining realistic urban elements with chaotic flourishes of colour. The prints not only captured the spirit of the original paintings but also brought Hirst’s exploration of civilisation’s fragility and beauty to a wider audience. They stand as a testament to the powerful, universal themes of decay, rebirth, and resilience.
Damien Hirst's 'The Civilisation' Exhibition at Phillips London.
A Unique Approach to Painting
Throughout The Civilisation exhibition, Hirst’s unique artistic techniques were on full display. His use of thrown paint, in particular, embodied the notion of surrendering control. The deliberate splattering and dripping of paint across the canvas conveyed a sense of disorder, offering a metaphor for the unpredictability of life. Hirst believed this method encapsulated the chaos that often characterises civilisation, while also suggesting a sense of hope and renewal within that turmoil.
Another standout feature in both the paintings and prints was Hirst’s use of grid-like arrangements of coloured spots, reminiscent of his well-known Spot Paintings. These grids, formed using the tops of paint tubes, were scattered throughout the compositions, symbolising the ordered, engineered elements of modern cities. Yet, as with all things man-made, these systems inevitably decay and are replaced, subtly reinforcing Hirst’s commentary on the transience of human civilisation.
Damien Hirst’s The Civilisation exhibition at Phillips was a bold and thought-provoking reflection on the tensions between urban life and the natural world. With its stunning array of paintings and prints, the exhibition explored the complexities of modern civilisation while emphasising the importance of finding hope amid chaos. The unique curation by Connor Hirst added a personal dimension to the show, making it a memorable event in the London art scene. As this chapter closes, The Civilisation leaves behind a lasting impression of Hirst’s continual innovation and relevance in contemporary art.
