Product Description

This reduced format reprint of Brit Artist Damien Hirst's extraordinary first book is a dynamic and provocative collection of ideas and obsessions, a powerful combination of text and visuals.

Each work is set against a visual narrative of drawings, words, photography, typography, pop-ups and other special effects - this edition comes with a magnifying glass attached to ensure no details are missed. An essay by cult novelist Gordon Burn looks at Hirst's work and the breadth of its impact.

Designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, the original edition of this landmark publication redefined the fine art monograph.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #225192 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

Customer Reviews

Art
Whatever your view on so called modern art, please do not allow it to prejudice you into not considering this book. To describe it as visually stunning would be to do it an injustice, anything less than spectacular would be deemed inappropriate when describing the way this piece of art is so ingeniously contrived and engineered. The composition is as thought provoking as it is surreal and continues to offer new and vivid imagery each and every time one opens it. In short, a wonderful book that could and most definitely should be consumed by anyone who has even the remotest interest in art.

An adult pop-up book gone horribly wrong
I was excited at the prospect of getting this book, but after thumbing through it several times I was quited dismayed. The book gives a good insight into the work of Damien Hirst, but appears devoid of any critical content. There are no views or opinions of his work only a self satisfied glorification of his art and career. However, the press cuttings and letters to the artist are amusing and insiteful. This book is not so much for putting on your coffee table, but for propping it up when it goes wonky.

Book as work of art.
Madness. Reduced a friend of mine to utter silence for 90 minutes.

Great horror and intense beauty.

The title itself is extraordinary in its expression of the late 90's paradox of wanting to engage with life but somehow feeling disassociated from it. er, least that's what i think ;-)