Beautiful Exotic Stretching Etchy Spinning Void

Produced as an exploration of different approaches to print media, the Stüzmappe a.k.a. support portfolio, included 13 prints from 13 different artists. These prints were produced using several different techniques. Hirst’s print, as its title suggests, depicts a colourful series of loosely etched concentric circles printed in blue, yellow, red, purple, and green. Each colour occupies a specific area. The blue largely concentrated at the centre and the green largely concentrated at the edge of the print. This composition evokes a feeling of a void.

The work is an early example of Hirst’s exploration of the idea of beauty. The viewer is reminded of several other Hirst works which explore this concept. For instance, Hirst’s It’s a Beautiful Day series further considers ideas of beauty. However, the Beautiful Exotic Stretching Etchy Spinning Void is more complex. Hirst may well be subverting the idea of a void: in other works, such as his 2001 Screen print Beautiful, Galactic, Exploding Hirst also juxtaposes beauty with catastrophe. Similarly, in this colourful etching, the void does not appear ominous as one might expect. Instead, it is vibrant and exotic.

Hirst’s use of Drypoint etching enables him to place different coloured inks in the etched areas. As a result, the colourful and vibrant feel of the print is made possible.