Pickled Shark Sells For a Cool $17 Mil

Sotheby’s auction house sold a pickled shark by British artist Damien Hirst for more than $17 million.

The two-day auction of the artist’s work that is expected to generate more than 65 million pounds, setting a new record for an auction of works by just one artist.

Hirst is selling more than 200 new works at auction rather than through a gallery. He has said it is a more democratic way to sell art.

An embalmed calf with hooves and horns of 18-karat gold titled “The Golden Calf” also sold for $18.5 million.

The sale continues today so there’s still time to get yourself a little something…

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Giant Shark Headed for NYC

The tiger shark suspended in a tank of formaldehyde, one of the best known works by contemporary British artist Damien Hirst, is coming to New York. Created by Hirst in 1991, the embalmed shark will go on display in The Metropolitan Museum of Art from the end of August.

The 13 ft shark in the sculpture is not actually the original animal, which was replaced last year by the artist during a “refurbishment” after the original shark began decomposing.

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Damien Hirst’s New Shark Art

Damien Hirst cuts another shark in half and dips it in formaldehyde. The shark, which Hirst once summed up as ‘a thing to describe a feeling’, has been dissected, and placed in separate containers, allowing viewer to walk through the interior of the animal. Ew, but good “ew”.

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Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Time has not been kind to Damien Hirst’s sharky work of art. The decaying shark recently had to be replaced. So, while rap music played in the background, a team of experts wearing bright yellow suits, black rubber gloves and breathing masks injected a 13-foot replacement with formaldehyde using some 200 needles. The air was so toxic that no one, not even the artist, was allowed near the shark without protective gear.

video here!

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Fish Food . . .

� Damien Hirst’s fishmonger should raise his rates.

� The Shark Lady

� Another day, another dog…

Change Is Good

That shark suspended in formaldehyde in Damien Hirst’s The physical impossibility of death in the mind of someone living, is starting to deteriorate. He’s agreed to replace the shark.

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Damien’s Wrath

Damien Hirst opened his first show in Mexico City yesterday. Here he is standing next to his piece titled “The Wrath Of God.” I like this guy!

Saddam Shark

The mayor of Middlekerke, Belgium has banned a work of art, afraid that it will put off tourists and offend Muslims. The piece, called Saddam Hussein Shark, shows a handcuffed Hussein suspended in liquid (a la Damien Hirst) wearing only his underpants.

High Art

Damien Hirst has been named the most powerful person in art world.