For The Love of BLING
July 5th, 2007
Much has been written of the 8,601 diamonds placed in the skull that forms the centrepiece to Beyond Belief, Damien Hirst's current exhibition at the White Cube galleries in London.
This review differs slightly in that it does not intend to be a critique of the artist as an artist. Instead I will write only of the viewing experience.
In the beginning there's a queue - not beyond belief. The lady handing out the tickets takes your name and post code. I advise invention. I was Tony Montana, from Battersea.
I suspect the reason for gathering post code data has pretentious undertones but I can not discuss this any further as it is not directly related to the viewing experience.
On receiving the ticket you continue round the outside of the building and join the queue. The reason I hate queues is that other people have the most boring conversations. Not to be repeated here.
After having our bags checked by the security who are all wired up to a satellite hovering over Picadilly Circus, you are given an approximate time of your visit.
The door opens, 12 of us are marched up the stairs. We pause on a short corridor. The security man informs us to leave bags to one side, no cameras and that it is dark in the show room. It will take a few minutes for your eyes to adjust by which time we'll be back outside in Mason's Yard on the other side of the queue.
We enter. It's dark, a glass box and the most beautiful skull I have ever set my eyes on. Considering that the only other skulls I ever saw in real life were from sheep maybe it's not hard. But this skull is so delicate and the diamonds are captivating. This is magical - the diamonds are so uniform and tiny and the effect is almost religious, except that I want to steal the thing.
The security man calls time. Going back down the stairs some one says it. Derivative. I wonder what postcode he's from.
There's all the usual Hirst junk and some new pieces that deal with "the fundamental themes of human existence - life, death, truth love, immortality and art itself."
Derivative. I said it myself. I return to my postcode.
Beyond Belef runs until 7 July at the White Cube
Masons Yard, Duke Street and Hoxton Square
Tel: 020 7930 5373
Image:GALERIEopWEG
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