Damien Hirst

Death is a predominant theme in Hirst’s oeuvre, which gained notoriety for a series of works featuring dead animals preserved in formaldehyde, including a shark, sheep, and cow. His most famous piece, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, showcases a 14-foot tiger shark suspended in a clear display case of formaldehyde.

In September 2008, Hirst made headlines by selling an entire exhibition, Beautiful Inside My Head Forever, at Sotheby’s, circumventing his established galleries. The auction generated £111 million ($198 million), setting a record for a one-artist auction and surpassing his previous record with The Golden Calf, which sold for £10.3 million. Hirst’s work has faced allegations of plagiarism 16 times since 1999, including a notable case where his sculpture Hymn was found to closely resemble a child’s toy, leading to an out-of-court settlement.