Alex MacAndrew

In my opinion art should be as compelling as the Damian Hirst retrospective at the Tate Modern.  Highlights of the multi-sensory experience include biologically explicit sharks, sheep and divided cows; grotesque cigarettes, prescription medicines and dead flies; not to mention the glorious explosion of colour and nature in the butterfly room.

Popular criticism belittles the fact that at times the artist coordinates production rather than personally creating every aspect.  I believe the creative genius is no less impressive.  Can a composer or conductor not take credit for the sensation produced by an orchestra?  

Hirst’s work has often polarised opinion on the validity of modern art, for me the debate has been nullified.  I fully bought in to the themes consistently explored, for example the transient nature of life, fragility of existence and certainty of death.  The unique perspective these matters are viewed from is incredible (not least in A Thousand Years).  The temporary (and potentially decaying!) nature of many of the installations make it likely that the most striking of Hirst’s work may not survive in the same way as a traditional painter, all the more reason to view in London this summer!