{
  "id": 6391680,
  "title": "Damien Hirst to donate 2 pieces of artwork to nat'l museum in Seoul",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/damien-hirst-to-donate-2-pieces-of-artwork-to-natl-museum-in-seoul",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-09T06:42:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/arts-theater/20260909/damien-hirst-to-donate-2-pieces-of-artwork-to-natl-museum-in-seoul"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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, according to the museum on Wednesday. This decision follows Hirst's first solo exhibition in Asia at the Seoul branch of the MMCA, which opened earlier this year and drew over 540,000 visitors, setting a new record for the museum since tracking such data began in 2023. The 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. Both pieces were featured in the exhibition titled \"Damien Hirst: Nothing is True But Everything Is Possible,\" which displayed around 50 works representing his four-decade-long career. Hirst is acclaimed for his exploration of death, immortality, human desire, and faith in science and medicine, often through bold and controversial works. The MMCA is currently in the process of finalizing its internal procedures for the donation.",
  "summary": "Iconic British artist Damien Hirst has expressed his intent to donate two pieces of his work to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), according to the Korean museum Wednesday. The move comes after the prominent contemporary artist held his first Asia show at the Seoul branch of the MMCA earlier this year, which attracted more than 540,000 visitors, a fresh record for a single…",
  "key_points": [
    "Damien Hirst donates 2 artworks to MMCA Seoul.",
    "Exhibition \"Damien Hirst: Nothing is True But Everything Is Possible\" featured 50 works."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The donation cements Damien Hirst's connection to a major Asian art institution after a record-breaking solo exhibition, solidifying his influence in the region's contemporary art scene.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Damien Hirst to donate 2 pieces of artwork to nat'l museum in Seoul",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/damien-hirst-to-donate-2-pieces-of-artwork-to-natl-museum-in-seoul-6391909",
        "published": "2026-09-09T06:13:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Damien Hirst to donate 2 pieces of artwork to nat'l museum in Seoul",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/damien-hirst-to-donate-2-pieces-of-artwork-to-natl-museum-in-seoul-6397086",
        "published": "2026-09-09T08:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}