In its exhibition
WHIZZ BANG POP the Auckland Art Gallery is showing the Damien Hirst multiple Paint by Numbers (edition of 175).
Lowering its market value at a stroke, they have taken the title literally and
made themselves a ‘Hirst’ by following the paint-by-number instructions (it’s a
bit like eating one of Paul McCarthy’s Chocolate Santas). More typically this work would be displayed as it is sold with the
canvas untouched revealing its paint-by-number markings for the 90 spots. NOTE: The Auckland Art Gallery has since told us that when the work was purchased the edition had already been opened and the 'Hirst' painted presumably by its first owner. Word
is that, perhaps inspired by this professional do-it-yourself spirit, a recent
visitor prised open the paint box on display, took out one of the brushes,
dipped it into one of the 90 pots of paint and had a go. Presumably their
efforts to follow Hirst’s instructions will be conserved out.
Of course Hirst isn’t the first PBN artist. Warhol
made a few back in 1962 as Do it yourself
paintings (shop here) although now the worm has turned again and you can buy a PBN version
of Warhol Campbell’s Soup can. The original Paint by numbers concept goes back to 1950 when
the Palmer Paint Company in Detroit came up with the idea. Overall this kind of
PBN has had bad press in the art world. It is seen as the painting equivalent
of Truman Capote’s great sniff at Jack Kerouac's
work, “That’s not writing, it’s typing.” Still, if you can muster up some irony
you can buy sets here.
