Morning:
14°c
Fury over Hirst's 'barbaric' butterflies on two wheels
Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Correspondent24.07.09
Hundreds of pairs butterfly wings were embossed on the bicycle
He may have got away with suspending a shark in formaldehyde, pickling sheep and cutting up cows, but Damien Hirst was today accused of "horrific barbarity" after decorating a bicycle with hundreds of dead butterflies.
The artist created the bike for cyclist Lance Armstrong, who will ride it in the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris on Sunday.
The frame and wheels of the bike are covered with the of wings of hundreds of dead butterflies, designed to shimmer in the sunlight for Armstrong, who is competing after recovering from testicular cancer.
However, animal rights campaigners today hit out at the project, claiming it "ruined the very essence of this man's spirit".
Several species of butterfly had their wings painstakingly removed by Hirst's team before being glued to the bike.
Mr Hirst's company would not comment on where the butterflies came from but in previous projects, which include a stained-glass window made from butterfly wings, Hirst has had insects bred specially for him.
Species used in the project are believed to include the blue Morpho, which has a bright blue wing, and the buttercup, which has a yellow and black wing pattern.
"This is barbaric and horrific," said Sam Glover of Peta. "Lance Armstrong is all about life - about not dying and about overcoming adversity.
"Damien Hirst is a one-trick pony who ruins the very essence of this man's spirit by associating him with dead butterflies.
"Butterflies are beautiful creatures which should be enjoyed in the wild, not encased in a bike."
Following the race, the bike will be displayed at galleries in Paris and New York, before being auctioned in October to raise funds for Live- strong, Armstrong's cancer charity.
The bike is one of six designed by different artists that Armstrong has ridden in this year's tour, and the huge interest in Hirst's work could help it raise as much as £1 million.
Hirst has defended the project. "Lance is an inspiration to many people on many levels," he said. "Bono first approached me about the bike and described Lance to me as 'the greatest sportsman the world has ever known after Ali'.
"It was a great opportunity to work with someone I admire and create the bike - something I've never done before."
Hirst admits his insistence that the project used real butterflies caused problems: "The technical problems were immense, as I wanted to use real butterflies and not just pictures of butterflies, because I wanted it to shimmer when the light catches it like only real butterflies do, and we were trying not to add any extra weight to the bike.
"Doing something crazy like this is ultimately about transportation and not simply transport, and what Lance does when he rides it is the same thing. I think he loves it."
Reader views (8)
Horrific cruelty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Gemma, Rome,Italy
Regards the 'one trick pony' of all accusations THAT is the one that is completely invalid. Hirst's work has progressed aross many fields of interest and continues to include a huge and wide variety of media and concepts. Gotta give him that one.
What I want to know is when are we going to stop calling these middle aged 'artists' Young British Artists? And what are the next lot going to be called? Infant British Artists? Foetus British Artists? Unfertilised Sperm British Artists?
- Real, London
Ben, he has designed a diamond encrusted skull worth millions of pounds -specifically with the aim of being the most expensive artwork a person can buy. He is now making scores of these to commission for stupid people. The diamond trade is solely founded on horrific practises in countries such as Sierra Leone so how can he not be funding the diamond trade? He is morally and ethically bankrupt. What next, slaughtering wild tigers and bears to make gianormous fur tents? Ivory sculptures? Harpooned dolphins? O dear, hope I haven't given him an idea...
- Real, London
Hirst is barbaric. I hope there's a circle of where he is pickled in formaldehyde...forever.
- Mark Adams, London,UK
Next thing he'll be making lanterns out of tattooed human skin.
- C.Nichol, London
Lance is going to have a bit of a problem riding that bike, it's got no pedals??? perhaps it's a cunning plan so that Bradley can get a podium position?
- Bob, Cheam
We need a bit of perspective here. Rich as he has become, I don't think Damien can be accused of funding the diamond trade. As for one-trick-pony, there is a long tradition of artists staying loyal to a singular theme. It's happened for hundreds of years. Mortality is a valid subject for an artist, and something that everyone can relate to. What I find interesting is how his work will physically age. What will happen to it 50 years from now ... will it return to dust?
- Ben Farrell, London
O everyone can get up in arms about butterflies whilst all the sentient animals he's butchered, animals with thoughts, feelings, and conscious minds, have been ignored? I totally disrepect Hirst and his work nowadays his studio is nothing but a slaughterhouse and when he's not killing animals he's funding the horrific practises of the diamond trade. Shame on him and all he stands for.
- Real, London
