Damien Hirst, procurer of the quote “Art is the most fabulous currency” has been kind enough to make For the Love of God available for all of us to own! The platinum sculpture is of a skull and is the most expensive piece of art available. With its 8,601 flawless diamonds and a price tag of £50 million ($100 million), White Cube (London) and Hirst have created the peak of the alpha market.
For the Love of God, 2007
Platinum, diamonds and human teeth
6 3/4 x 5 x 7 1/2 in. (17.1 x 12.7 x 19.1 cm)
So far, George Michael and his partner have been the only collectors to express interest in the work (still unsold as of friday); but Hirst, who was once the protégé of the marketing genius and art market master Charles Saatchi, has made skulls for all collecting levels. Multiples are being offered first for the beta market buyers, in an edition of 20 with a price tag of £25,000. The 8 inch replica is in plastic with “spin art“. For the delta market, in an edition of 250, you can choose between 3 different diamond dust silkscreen prints, 40 x 30 in and £10,000 each. And for those of you in the gamma market, in an edition of 2,000 - a 13 x 10 screenprint for £900 (or $2000).
You can even buy some t-shirts for £30 each – if only Hirst could remerchandise the Phillips Collection gift shop…
All in all, anyone who buys anything in an edition of 2,000 is insane – that is not fine art, it is memorabilia – it will not gain value, it will not even retain its value. So before you spend $2000 please remember that 1,999 others also will own a copy of your cherished 10 x 13 inch diamond skull picture
Hirst could even decide to produce artist proofs in the future – for the love of god…
