Damien Hirst (b. 1965)

“I started [the Spot Paintings] as an endless series like a sculptural idea of a painter (myself). A scientific approach to painting in a similar way to the drug companies’ scientific approach to life. Art doesn’t purport to have all the answers; the drug companies do. Hence the title of the series, The Pharmaceutical Paintings, and the individual titles of the paintings themselves…” (D. Hirst, “On Dumb Painting,” The Complete Spot Paintings, Other Criteria, London, 2013, p. Ab)

“Art is like medicine–it can heal. Yet I’ve always been amazed at how many people believe in medicine but don’t believe in art, without questioning either.” (D. Hirst, “On Dumb Painting,” The Complete Spot Paintings, Other Criteria, London, 2013, p. Ab)