Damien Hirst
The rose window, Durham Cathedral, 2008
Butterflies and metallic paint on canvas in artist’s frame
299.2 × 299.2 × 15 cm
“You have to find universal triggers. Everyone’s afraid of glass, everyone’s frightened of sharks. Everyone loves butterflies.”
– Damien Hirst
For his famous butterfly paintings, Damien Hirst utilized thousands of colorful butterfly wings to create the monumental works that evoke a church-like, stained-glass window effect, where the fragility and extravagant color scheme form the basis for a circular ornamental mosaic.
The dazzling symmetry of Hirst’s Rose Window, achieved through the meticulous arrangement of butterflies on metallic paint on canvas, directly echoes the medieval rose window of the Durham Cathedral, the central church of the Diocese of Durham, UK. This captivating window measures 27.5 meters in circumference and was originally glazed in the 15th century by Richard Pickering. Depicting Christ surrounded by the apostles, it features a detailed design crafted from red, blue, and white glass, accented with shades of yellow. The separate panes, arranged in a geometric pattern, create the illusion of radiating lines that connect each layer, resembling spokes in a wheel. The overall effect results in a perfect circle, symbolizing wholeness and completeness.
Exhibitions:
Damien Hirst. Gary Tatintsian Gallery, Moscow. Mar — Jun 2017
visit viewing room
