Could you imagine, not only teaching your child the ABCs but also about contemporary art, by exposing them to work by one of the world’s leading contemporary artists? Well that’s exactly what Damien Hirst did with his new ‘ABC’ book – a large-format board book for art lovers of all ages, which illustrates the alphabet using his art. A lot of the art featured includes plenty of dissected cows + sheep, butterflies, the incredible diamond skull, + many other well-known Hirst themes,
For Hirst, it was a natural thing to create as ‘he felt power of art from a very early age.’ When The Guardian asked Hirst what were his favorite images, he cited L is for Lamb + A is for Anatomy –
‘I love L is for Lamb. The image is of my 1994 work Away from the Flock [a lamb in a tank of formaldehyde]. Over 20 years on, it still has a powerful tragic quality for me. The formaldehyde gives it a kind of serene weightlessness, almost a new life.’
‘I also really like A is for Anatomy, which is represented by Hymn (1999-2005) – a 20ft bronze sculpture of an anatomical model that belonged to my son Connor, who is now 18. I loved that it was a toy rather than a medical tool.’
‘ABCs By Damien Hirst’ will be available Oct. 1 by Other Criteria + on Amazon Oct. 15 but can be pre-ordered.
(via The Guardian)