English artist Damien Hirst took some time out from working on a cherry blossom-themed series of paintings to interact with his followers on Instagram where he provided answers to 100 questions generated by followers.
Sipping tea and wearing a paint covered t-shirt, Hirst responded to an array of queries in a series of four-15 minute videos titled “From that Psychiatrist’s Account.” Hirst candidly responded to questions about becoming an artist, advice for new artists (“make the paintings bigger!”) and what the public misunderstands the most about him (“I don’t drink.”)
Some quick factoids: he far prefers oil over acrylic; Helen Beard is an artist he views as undervalued; he was friendly with Alexander McQueen and describes him as a total sweetheart; artists don’t need to be miserable a la Vincent van Gogh to be make great art; no strong feelings on whether art school is a hindrance or help; he’s a big fan of Ultimate Fighting Championship; between Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon, he loves the former but prefers the latter; he spends eight-nine hours/day in the studio; he loves life; and so much more.
Check out all four videos below.
