The Kaleidoscopes by Damien Hirst

The Kaleidoscope series by Damien Hirst is a celebration of Hirst’s most famous motif, the butterfly. Each edition, measuring 85 x 140 cm, are diasec-mounted giclée prints on aluminium composite panel, numbered and hand-signed by Hirst on the verso.

Hirst's use of strong, vivid colours throughout the series is reminiscent of Buddhist mandala motifs. Every design, however, is unique and features a new arrangement of butterflies, giving the series a feeling of energy and excitement.

Since its inception in 2001, Hirst's massive Kaleidoscope project has produced numerous complicated, multicoloured pieces created from hundreds of butterfly wings. The collection consists of a diverse range of striking prints and paintings that all feature captivating designs of concentric circles composed of hundreds of butterflies. Hirst cleverly creates the sculptures by applying household paint onto thousands of different coloured butterfly wings arranged in geometric patterns. The final pieces are breathtaking and capture the viewer's attention, pushing them to examine the patterns in order to appreciate the hundreds of tiny butterflies that are included in the composition.

Life and death are a significant theme for Hirst, which the artist examines throughout the Kaleidoscope series. Hirst's passion with butterflies stems, in part, from the fact that, they maintain their beauty even after death. "I love butterflies because they look alive when they are dead," Hirst says. For Hirst, butterflies embody the fragility of life and the use of the insect is a means for him to address questions of mortality. Since the late 1980s, Hirst has explored the link between art, life, and death using a variety of artistic mediums, including sculpture, painting, drawing, and installation.

Now Available from Extraordinary Objects

H18-2 Chameleon

2024
Diasec-mounted giclée print on aluminium composite panel
84 × 140 cm
Hand-signed and numbered
Edition of 180 + 20APs

H18-3 Psychedelic

2024
Diasec-mounted giclée print on aluminium composite panel
84 × 140 cm
Hand-signed and numbered
Edition of 180 + 20APs

H18-4 Splendour

2024
Diasec-mounted giclée print on aluminium composite panel
84 × 140 cm
Hand-signed and numbered
Edition of 180 + 20APs

Explore our full collection of works by Damien Hirst, including rare editions by clicking below. To enquire about any of the works featured please get in touch.