Damien Hirst and the exhibition record at MMCA Seoul
Published on 08/31/2026 at 12:24 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Damien Hirst has become one of the most frequently exhibited British artists of his generation, with large museum retrospectives marking each phase of his career. His recent Asia survey Damien Hirst: No Truth, But Everything Is Possible at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul traces more than 40 years of work, from early animal pieces to recent Cherry Blossoms paintings, as Yonhap and MMCA reporting underline.
Major museum shows over four decades
Hirst’s exhibition history is closely tied to major public institutions, which have repeatedly framed his work around mortality, belief and spectacle. In Seoul, MMCA’s large-scale solo show brings together over 50 works, including key pieces like For the Love of God and the Natural History series of formaldehyde animals, presenting them as a cohesive survey of his practice.
This MMCA show follows earlier retrospectives such as Cherry Blossoms at the Fondation Cartier in Paris, which presented his immersive floral paintings as a new chapter after decades of conceptual and installation-based work. Against this backdrop, his exhibition record shows how museums have alternated between emphasizing provocation and painting, depending on the period and venue.
How Seoul fits into Hirst’s exhibition arc
In Seoul, the MMCA exhibition is described as Hirst’s first large-scale solo museum show in Asia and part of a planned annual series of globally acclaimed artists. Curator Song Su-jeong stresses that many people know Hirst by reputation but have not seen his originals, positioning the show as the moment to encounter his work directly.
The exhibition mixes emblematic works about death and faith with newer series, including the Cherry Blossoms paintings, to show continuity across decades. MMCA’s statement highlights themes of immortality, human desire and trust in science and medicine, giving visitors a structured way to read the tanks, skulls and pills that have become his visual signature.
All news and background on Damien Hirst
For further coverage of Damien Hirst’s exhibitions, auction results and institutional projects, the AD HOC NEWS archive offers an overview of past stories and market developments.
The work core and key themes
Hirst’s practice spans installation, sculpture, painting and printmaking, but remains anchored in a small set of recurring themes. The Natural History works with animals suspended in formaldehyde examine death and preservation as both scientific process and display strategy, linking pathology laboratories with museum vitrines.
Pieces like For the Love of God, a diamond-encrusted skull, address wealth, faith and the memento mori tradition, reframing historical symbolism through luxury materials. In parallel, the Cherry Blossoms canvases explore painting’s surface and pattern, suggesting an almost ornamental excess that still ties back to cycles of decay and renewal.
Where Damien Hirst stands now
Overall, Damien Hirst’s recent MMCA Seoul retrospective and its framing of four decades of work underline a continued institutional interest in his explorations of death, desire and belief, even as his market and media presence evolve alongside new series and formats.
Key facts on Damien Hirst
- Artist: Damien Hirst
- Medium / Genre: Installation and sculpture, painting and conceptual art
- Born: 1965, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Place(s) of practice: Studio work based in Devon and London
- Active since: Late 1980s, with early prominence in the 1990s Young British Artists context
- Key work groups: Natural History, Spot Paintings, Spin Paintings, Cherry Blossoms
- Current/last exhibition: Damien Hirst: No Truth, But Everything Is Possible, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Seoul, 2026
- Major collections: Tate (London), MoMA (New York), Centre Pompidou (Paris), Guggenheim (New York)
- Awards: Turner Prize, 1995
- Next date: currently no announced date in the 30-day window
Frequently asked questions about Damien Hirst
Where has Damien Hirst recently had a major museum exhibition?
In 2026, Damien Hirst’s large-scale solo exhibition Damien Hirst: No Truth, But Everything Is Possible was held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, presenting over 50 works spanning his 40-year career.
Which key works were highlighted in the MMCA Seoul exhibition?
The MMCA show included emblematic pieces such as For the Love of God, a platinum skull set with diamonds, and works from the Natural History series, where animals are preserved in formaldehyde tanks, alongside more recent Cherry Blossoms paintings.
How does Damien Hirst’s exhibition record reflect his position in contemporary art?
Repeated retrospectives at institutions like MMCA Seoul and Fondation Cartier in Paris demonstrate sustained curatorial interest in Hirst’s exploration of mortality, belief and spectacle, confirming his role as a central figure of the post-1990s contemporary art landscape.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
