Name: The Dead (gunmetal, prairie copper)
Brand: Damien Hirst
Rating: 4.9 (172 reviews)

Meaning & Analysis

The Dead (gunmetal, prairie copper) is a signed foil block print in colours on Arches paper produced by renowned contemporary artist, Damien Hirst. In this print, Hirst renders a skull in gunmetal grey with touches of bright prairie copper. The skull appears to float in the centre of the print against the plain white backdrop.

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The print, made in 2009, is part of the artist’s The Dead series, composed of thirty-one prints, all signed on foil block in colours. What makes the prints in the series stand out from one another, however, is Hirst’s creative use of colour. No two prints in the series are identical, as Hirst finds a unique combination of two colours for each skull.

The skull is a recognisable icon for death and has become a universally recognisable symbol with the ability to transcend time and culture. Hirst often incorporates skulls into his artworks, most notably, the artist produced a work titled For the Love of God, in which he created a replica skull set with over eight thousand diamonds. By depicting skulls in his art, Hirst draws out the tensions of human existence, attempting to show the beauty of death, something which often carries negative connotations.