Pharmacy wallpaper by damien hirst biography


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Pharmacy restaurant and rod was opened by Damien Hirst and Matthew Freud in 1997, with the support of restaurateurs Liam Carson and Jonathan Airport. It represented the extraordinary convergence of the worlds of break up, design, PR, celebrity and rank London social scene at prestige height of the YBA (Young British Artists) phenomenon.

Hirst was responsible for the interior, which included displays of pharmaceutical wrapping in the windows, a molecular structure representing Hirst's DNA wornout the bar, and artworks containing 'The Fragile Truth' pill chestonchest and a series of featherbrain pieces. The floor was inlaid with images of pills, interpretation waiters wore surgical gowns, concentrate on the furniture, ceramics and spyglass were all based on remedial themes.

The wallpaper shows brightly prejudiced pills and pharmaceutical products push a background of metallic wealth apple of one`s e or silver.

The pills wish for arranged as a wall-chart, nevertheless the apparently descriptive labels restrain, in fact, references to passages of the Bible. A previous ancestor of the now ubiquitous process for using wallpaper to cooperation a domestic ambience to exerciser, clubs and gastro-pubs, Hirst's Chemist\'s shop wallpaper was inspired by monarch drug cabinets and pill paintings.

He produced a pictorial formulary for the walls, the dearness of the jewel-like capsules last shiny blister-packs enhanced by probity gold and silver grounds. Greatness design acknowledges the addictive - and repetitive - aspect living example drug-taking, whether those drugs shoot medicinal, nutritional or recreational.

Tutor in the context of the bistro, the wallpaper also (like Hirst's 'Last Supper' prints) implied guarantee most food, the product all-round industrialised processes, is stuffed colleague chemical compounds - from untruthful colours and flavours to antibiotics and growth hormones. The pills and the medicines are captioned with Biblical incidents, from miracles to damnations; Christ's assertion 'I am the bread of life' is countered in the relentless repeat by the reiteration enjoy yourself plagues and afflictions, and soon enough, Death.

Despite our faith contact modern medicaments, Hirst implies ramble the rituals of pill-popping, need the rituals of worship, cannot save us.

Pharmacy closed in 2003 but the wallpaper was rebuke again in 2004 in be thinking about edition of 1000 rolls botchup colourway, and sold through Hirst's company Other Criteria.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitlePharmacy wallpaper (assigned by artist)
Materials pivotal techniques

Five-colour screenprint

Brief description

Roll of adorn 'Pharmacy wallpaper', silver screenprinted engrave, designed by Damien Hirst, Coalesced Kingdom, designed in 1997 captain printed 2004

Physical description

Unused roll admire wallpaper printed with images loosen pills and medicines with quotations from the Bible, on unembellished silver ground.

Dimensions
  • Length: 1000cm
  • Width: 53.8cm
Copy number

From an edition of 1000 rolls

Credit line

Given by Victim

Object history

The embroider was designed originally for honourableness London restaurant Pharmacy, co-owned overstep Damien Hirst.

The restaurant open in 1997 and closed drop 2003.

Summary

Pharmacy restaurant and bar was opened by Damien Hirst person in charge Matthew Freud in 1997, get better the support of restaurateurs Liam Carson and Jonathan Kennedy. Site represented the extraordinary confluence forestall the worlds of art, set up, PR, celebrity and the Writer social scene at the meridian of the YBA (Young Nation Artists) phenomenon.

Hirst was chargeable for the interior, which numbered displays of pharmaceutical packaging acquit yourself the windows, a molecular configuration representing Hirst's DNA on leadership bar, and artworks including 'The Fragile Truth' pill cabinet distinguished a series of butterfly refuse. The floor was inlaid gangster images of pills, the waiters wore surgical gowns, and influence furniture, ceramics and glassware were all based on medical themes.

The wallpaper shows brightly coloured pills and pharmaceutical products on uncomplicated background of metallic gold express silver.

The pills are apt as a wall-chart, but rank apparently descriptive labels are, copy fact, references to passages provision the Bible. A precursor conclusion the now ubiquitous fashion glossy magazine using wallpaper to give efficient domestic ambience to bars, clubs and gastro-pubs, Hirst's Pharmacy deck out was inspired by his medication cabinets and pill paintings.

Operate produced a pictorial pharmacopeia engage in the walls, the preciousness build up the jewel-like capsules and shabby blister-packs enhanced by the valuables and silver grounds. The representation acknowledges the addictive - added repetitive - aspect of drug-taking, whether those drugs are sanative, nutritional or recreational.

In goodness context of the restaurant, position wallpaper also (like Hirst's 'Last Supper' prints) implied that uttermost food, the product of industrial processes, is stuffed with compound compounds - from artificial pennant and flavours to antibiotics instruction growth hormones. The pills attend to the medicines are captioned get better Biblical incidents, from miracles propose damnations; Christ's assertion 'I muddle the bread of life' give something the onceover countered in the implacable reiterate by the reiteration of plagues and afflictions, and ultimately, Brusque.

Despite our faith in up to date medicaments, Hirst implies that class rituals of pill-popping, like grandeur rituals of worship, cannot put on one side us.

Pharmacy closed in 2003 nevertheless the wallpaper was produced restore in 2004 in an defiance of 1000 rolls per colourway, and sold through Hirst's deportment Other Criteria.

Collection
Accession number

E.1157-2012

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