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32 DAMIEN HIRST b. 1965 Beautiful Psychedelic Rays of Dancing Love Hours Spin Painting, 2008. Household gloss on canvas. 203.2 x 177.8 cm. (80 x 70 in). Signed, dated and inscribed with ‘Beautiful Hours Spin Painting IV 2008 Damien Hirst’ on the reverse and further signed ‘Damien Hirst’ on the stretcher. provenance Private collection, London Estimate £ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 - 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 $ 3 2 0 , 0 0 0 - 4 8 0 , 0 0 0 € 2 2 0 , 0 0 0 - 3 3 0 , 0 0 0 ♠ The Hours was formed in 2002 by Antony Genn and Martin Slattery. Between them, they have worked with three of the greatest British poets and front men of all time: Joe Strummer, Shaun Ryder and Jarvis Cocker. They have individually toured with Elastica and Black Grape, separately produced sessions for UNKLE and Grace Jones and worked alongside the likes of Brian Eno. Although the friendship between Antony Genn and Damien Hirst began over ten years ago, the music business collaboration of Hirst with the two men who would become The Hours, happened indirectly as a result of a great loss to popular music culture: the untimely death of Joe Strummer in 2002. Ant Genn and Martin Slattery had both collaborated with Strummer in the Mescaleros and on his solo albums. Hirst was a long time friend of Strummer during the glory years of the early 90s. Two years after Joe Strummer died of a heart attack in 2002, Genn and Slattery formed a band, calling themselves The Hours. Hirst put the band in the studio, paid for their debut album recording and got them ready for their first record deal. He also created all the artwork for the album and collateral materials. 91
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