Damien Hirst to donate 2 pieces of artwork to nat'l museum in Seoul

Renowned British artist Damien Hirst has announced his plans to donate two of his artworks to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul. This announcement was made by the Korean museum on Wednesday. Hirst's decision to contribute to the museum follows the successful first Asia show he held at the Seoul branch of the MMCA earlier this year. The exhibition, which attracted over 540,000 visitors, set a new record for a single exhibition since the museum began tracking such data in 2023.

The two artworks Hirst intends to donate are "Beautiful Exploding Hell Bent Mayhem and Madness Vortex of Rainbows and Death Volcano Painting" from 1999 and "Men Shall Know Nothing" from 2008. These pieces were featured at the exhibition titled "Damien Hirst: Nothing is True But Everything Is Possible," which showcased approximately 50 works spanning Hirst's 40-year career.

Hirst is recognized for his exploration of themes such as death, immortality, human desire, and faith in science and medicine through his distinctive and provocative art works. Currently, the MMCA is engaged in the internal process for the donation of these pieces.