"The Immortal" by Damien Hirst, 1997-2005, 102.8"x 202.5"x 96"
Glass, painted stainless steel, silicone, monofilament, shark and formaldehyde.
This is a sculpture by the well know artist Damien Hirst, he is known for using dead and live animals in his work. This piece consists of a dead shark inspired by the movie "Jaws". He uses this piece to create fear and uncertainty in the viewers. Hirst wanted a large shark that would be capable of eating a human to scare people. The tank has a solution in it that hardens but is still clear to look like water. This is to make the shark look like it is in its natural habitat and bring a lifelike feel to the piece. I like this piece, the way that it looks real like the shark could get you. The solution was a clever idea to get the water effect and to keep the shark in place like it was a still life of a shark swimming. I find the purpose behind his work unusual as he bases his work on peoples fears hence the link to "Jaws". I am not generally a supporter of using bodies of animals in artwork however I like that the shark even in death will still scare people. However I think if there was some lighting in the tank to make the shark look more dramatic it would scare people more.
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