Explore Quotes by Damien Hirst

But whenever I look at the question of how to live, the answer's always staring me in the face. I'm already doing it.

Being best is a false goal, you have to measure success on your own terms.

I think an ashtray is the most fantastically real thing.

I'm 43. I'm not ready to sit down in a chair with my name on it yet.

I realised that you couldn't use the tools of yesterday to communicate today's world. Basically, that was the big light that went on in my head.

But I think it's more that when you're young, you're invincible, you're immortal - or at least you think you are. The possibilities are limitless, you're inventing the future. Then you get older and suddenly you have a history. It's fixed. You can't change anything. I find that a bit disturbing, to be honest.

Artists are like everybody else.

As a father, I would say I am more like a mother. I do a lot of hugging.

Painting is so poetic, while sculpture is more logical and scientific and makes you worry about gravity.

In an artwork you're always looking for artistic decisions, so an ashtray is perfect. An ashtray has got life and death.

Most people live in the city and go to the country at the weekend, and that's posh and aristocratic, but actually to live in the country and come to London when you can't take it any more is different.

I used to believe I was going to live forever. And then you suddenly become aware that you're not.

I think suicide is the most perfect thing you can do in life.

But I'm more interested in why people are frightened by Jaws and why Jaws was such a hit than saying Spielberg's my main influence.

A painting probably is the most shocking increase in value, from what it costs to make to what you sell it for.

I always feel like the art's there and I just see it, so it's not really a lot of work.

The goal in life is to be solid, whereas the way that life works is totally fluid, so you can never actually achieve that goal.

I have always been aware that you have to get people listening before you can change their minds. Any artist's big fear is being ignored, so if you get debate, that's great.

A lot of people thought I wasn't doing anything because I was spending a lot of time socialising and going out, but I've always managed to get work actually done.

So smoking is the perfect way to commit suicide without actually dying. I smoke because it's bad, it's really simple.

Sometimes when you're drunk you can see better.