For The Love of God, Enlightenment

Hirst has used diamonds in several of his works throughout his career. He understands them as an expression of wealth and perfection. However, he has questioned whether diamonds are “just a bit of glass, with accumulated metaphorical significance? Or [whether they] are genuine objects of supreme beauty connected with life.” This debate has motivated his exploration of their use in the sculpture, For The Love Of God. Subsequently, prints that he has produced of the sculpture would further explore this subject. The work also alludes to a religious preoccupation that is evident in much of Hirst’s art. For instance, several other series including the Cathedral collection make clear his religious interests.

Noteworthy in the For The Love Of God, Enlightenment print is the scale the skull occupies. It takes up a large amount of the sheet. Here the viewer is invited to explore the scull in close detail. The 8,601 diamonds and the large diamond in the forehead are perfectly displayed to the viewer. The background of the print achieves a similar visual effect to the diamonds. It is a shimmering black and grey which makes the elaborate skull appear less incongruous.