"Where the Land Meets the Sea" is a poignant series by Damien Hirst, unveiled in a summer exhibition at Phillips London. This collection dives into Hirst's fascination with the sea, encapsulating the raw emotion and vigor reminiscent of the British coastlines. Influenced significantly by Abstract Expressionism, particularly by Robert Motherwell’s "Beside the Sea" from the 1960s, Hirst's work beautifully captures his experiences walking along the beach and watching the sea during gray British winters (Phillips) (Heni) (FAD Magazine).
The series encompasses three distinct sets of oil paintings: "Coast Paintings," "Sea Paintings," and "Seascapes," each exploring different aspects of the sea's interaction with the land. The "Coast Paintings" are abstract action paintings inspired by various British seaside locales, originating as gray canvases laid on Hirst’s studio floor. They inadvertently caught splatters from his "Cherry Blossoms" series, leading to their eventual transformation into vibrant representations of coastal energy (Phillips) (FAD Magazine).
The "Sea Paintings" pivot towards a photorealistic depiction, freezing the tumultuous energy of coastal storms in grayscale. These works, composed of 64 paintings created in 2022, continue Hirst's practice of "Fact Paintings," where fleeting moments captured in photography are transformed into lasting painted renditions, embodying a clash between chance and intention (MyArtBroker) (FAD Magazine).
Finally, "Seascapes" meld the Sea Paintings' photorealism with the expressive splatters of the Coast Paintings. They utilize the Sea Paintings as a foundation, adding layers of action with splattered paint, creating an immersive experience that draws viewers closer to the chaotic beauty of crashing waves. Hirst describes these works as complementary pairs, each series enhancing the other through a combination of actual energy and meticulously painted moments (MyArtBroker) (FAD Magazine).
"Where the Land Meets the Sea" not only demonstrates Hirst's versatile engagement with different painting techniques but also showcases his deep philosophical engagement with themes of mortality, existence, and the inevitable passage of time. The exhibition at Phillips London, supported by HENI along with Gagosian and White Cube galleries, offered an immersive experience into Hirst's reflections on the powerful yet tranquil interface between land and sea (Phillips) (Heni) (FAD Magazine).
