Published by

Other Criteria, London

Dimensions

47.3 × 39.3 cm (18⅝ × 15½ in.)

Condition

In very good condition.

Catalogue Note

Published in 2009, Regeneration forms part of Damien Hirst's celebrated Butterflies portfolio, a suite of twelve original etchings and aquatints exploring themes of transformation, mortality and renewal. Each print bears a single-word title—Life, Tribulation, Eternal Rest, Prosperity, Emerge, Regeneration, Renewal, Fate, Reveal, Spirit, Hope and Providence—creating a visual meditation on the cycles of existence that have long preoccupied the artist.

Butterflies occupy a central position within Hirst's artistic practice and have become one of his most recognisable motifs. Throughout his career they have symbolised both the fragility of life and the possibility of spiritual transformation, their brief existence serving as a powerful metaphor for beauty, impermanence and renewal. In Regeneration, the luminous butterfly appears almost icon-like against a deep black background, its brilliant colour heightened by the dramatic contrast of the surrounding darkness.

Unlike Hirst's later editioned prints, the Butterflies portfolio consists of original intaglio prints, combining etching and aquatint to achieve remarkable richness of colour and subtle tonal variation. The tactile quality of the printing process lends the image a depth and presence that recalls stained glass or illuminated devotional panels, reinforcing the spiritual associations that run throughout the series.

Issued by Other Criteria in a small edition of only forty-five impressions, the complete portfolio was presented in an elegant black cloth-covered case with embossed titles. Individual impressions are increasingly sought after, particularly those from the principal edition.

Combining one of Damien Hirst's most enduring motifs with the expressive possibilities of traditional printmaking, Regeneration stands as an important work from the artist's graphic oeuvre, embodying his continuing exploration of beauty, faith and the cyclical nature of life.