Pressure
Pressure
Signed Print
Damien Hirst
Screenprint, 2017
Signed Print Edition of 150
H 102cm x W 76cm
Critical Review
Pressure is a silkscreen print by renowned contemporary artist, Damien Hirst. The print, which was made in 2017, shows the packaging of a fictional pharmaceutical product. The product name, ‘Pressure’, is written in a simple black font at the top of the composition. Below the product name, Hirst includes various medical details, such as the tablet size, its contents, and instructions on how it should be taken. Hirst deliberately includes this medical information to make the packaging seem like a real pharmaceutical product, despite its fictional name. While the simple packaging seems like many other tablet packets, the unconventional name stands out, hinting to the creative input of the artist.
Pressure is one of twelve silkscreen prints that compose the Eat the Rich series. The series is inspired by pharmaceutical packaging and in each print, Hirst adopts the tablet packet format to create a fictional pharmaceutical product. In this series, Hirst blurs the boundaries between science and art and by including his name on each print in the series, Hirst assumes the role of pharmacist, continuing to challenge the science/ art dichotomy. The product name, ‘Pressure’, carries connotations of violence, force and aggression. This is a theme that runs through the entire series.
In this print, Hirst’s long-standing fascination with the aesthetics of pharmaceutical packaging shines through. The minimalism of the design reflects the confidence with which pharmaceutical companies present their medications and their healing abilities.
