The "bling" work, entitled For the Love of God, is the most expensive piece of contemporary art.
Propped behind reinforced glass in a darkened room in the White Cube gallery in East London, the skull is covered with 8,601 flawless diamonds - three times the number on the crown the Queen wears on state occasions.
Even the eye sockets and the holes for the nose have been filled with hundreds of jewels. A 52-carat pear-shaped stone is set into the forehead, surrounded by 14 diamonds.
The skull is a platinum replica of a human skull bought by Hirst two years ago in a London taxidermy shop.
The original is thought to be that of a 35-year-old man who lived in Europe during the 18th century. The teeth have been taken from the original, polished, and then reset in the cast.
There's a longer news video here and a gallery of photos here.
No comments:
Post a Comment