Select works of British contemporary artist Damien Hirst dealing with subjects like death, life, fragility and beauty are being exhibited for the first time in the country by leading auction house Sotheby's before they go under the hammer in London next month. Fourteen pieces from Hirst's new collection of 223 works titled "Beautiful Inside My Head Forever" is on display at the Oberoi Hotel here for two days.

The works will be later auctioned on September 15-16.
The exhibition is being seen in the art circles as an effort by Sotheby's to attract the emerging interest of Indian buyers in international art.

Hirst, whose works were sold at exorbitant price, uses real butterflies, cancer cells, pills, diamonds, glass and razor pieces for creating his pieces to deal with his pet subjects of death, life, fragility and beauty.

The artist has for the first time chosen to sell his work directly through the auction house instead of going to galleries.

Some of the highlights from the exhibition in Delhi are bronze sculpture "Angel (Exposed)" priced at USD 3.95-5.95 lakh, the butterfly collection priced at USD 1.20-1.80 lakh, and "No Life" priced at USD 1.19-1.58 lakh.

According to critics, this Indian preview highlights the significance of the growing Indian art market.

"India is an important place for us and with wealthy Indians already buying works of Indian artists, we hope that art lovers here are starting to look broadly at international artists," said Henry Howard-Sneyd, deputy chairman of Sotheby's Europe and Asia.

Full story: