I’m a sucker for anything multi-colored. It’s part of being a Libra, but it’s more a part of the interplay between multiple things. I think Proust said something about this in his “questionnaire” about not having a favorite color, rather the favorite being the harmony between two colors. I completely agree. Sure, I have my go-to answer for favorite color (aqua), but I really like aqua in conjunction with other colors – electric green, orange, fluourescent pink. When more than one color collide, something magical happens – like adding hot fudge to ice cream.
In their purest forms, Damien Hirst’s Spot paintings are simple glossy circles neatly organized on white grounds. But watch what happens when each color is viewed with it’s neighbor. Pink isn’t just pink anymore. Neither is blue.
The Spot painintgs have been wildly successful on the art market, raking in millions of bucks for Mr. Hirst and causing quite a stir amongst art conoscienti, the latest a slick marketing tool called The Complete Spot Challenge. With a nod to Willy Wonka, anyone who visits the Spot Paintings at all eleven locations of Gagosian Galleries will receive a special limited edition Hirst print. The prints will be made after the race is complete and only issued to registered challengers who complete the worldwide task. The paintings are located in Geneva, Rome, Athens, Paris, London x2, New York x3, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. According to a variety of sources, the trip would range anywhere from $13,000 to well over $100,000. Or, like Charlie, you can just fire up your Great Glass Elevator.

8-Bromoguanine, 2005 Damien Hirst (Hong Kong)

Zirconyl Chloride, 2008 Damien Hirst (New York)

Installation view. The Spot Paintings. Damien Hirst.