British artist’s new work, The Currency, is a way for the public to participate, he says. But for many, it is the sort of trickery that has given contemporary art a bad name
Take two cultural phenomena, both designed to confound us, which are now each worth lots of money: the art of Damien Hirst and the equally infamous non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. Between them they have already perplexed many art fans. This month brings them both together in a dramatic event to be staged during Frieze London, a moment when the international art world turns its fickle attention to the capital.
And, as if the combination of this notorious British artist and the mystifying digital art market were not explosive enough, an actual bonfire is promised. Hirst is to set light to artworks from his first NFT collection worth £10m. For his critics, the expensive stunt will mark the low water mark in a career built on headlines and brass neck. For admirers, it is a chance to look back at the impact of a master.
