Hirst Medicine Cabinets

The exhibition included twelve medicine cabinets from hirst s earliest collection of the works each named after tracks from the 1977 album never mind the bollocks here s the sex pistols.

Hirst medicine cabinets. Constructing the mdf unit at home he filled it with the empty packaging of his grandmother s medication which he d requested she left him on her death. The show featured the first four of a series of 12 cabinets he produced. It is one of early works from his seminal medicine cabinet series which includes 12 cabinets each takes its name from the twelve title tracks of the legendary album never mind the bollocks here s the sex pistols. Within a vast searching oeuvre the series of pill cabinets make up but a tiny part of the artist s creative universe.

The medicine cabinet to be offered at auction was created by damien hirst for his degree show in 1989. A hirst spot painting is hung above the fireplace. Hirst was at the forefront of this movement and his degree show in 1989 marked the beginnings of his medicine series. The sculptural work by artist provocateur damien hirst titled bodies resembles a door less medicine cabinet packed with jars bottles and boxes of various drugs and treatments some featuring.

The series began with a suite of twelve cabinets which hirst submitted as his thesis at goldsmith s college of art in london in 1989. Marcel duchamp s bottle rack. In the case of hirst s medicine cabinets it is beyond contention that organized containers of medication made arresting works of art. In hirst s pharmacy the small medicine cabinets of the earlier pieces have been expanded to cover the walls with rows of packaged drugs behind glass.

Earth air fire water. A 7 by 13 5 foot craig martin acrylic. In the living area the hirst medicine cabinet is displayed above simon patterson s the great bear. Hirst began work on the medicine cabinets whilst in his second year at goldsmiths with sinner 1988.

They were shown at l m gallery accompanied by a collection of band memorabilia.