The National Art Center, Tokyo and Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain will host Damien Hirst's first major solo exhibition in Japan from March 2, 2022 (Wed) to May 23, 2022 (Mon). The exhibition features 24 large-scale paintings of cherry blossoms in a dynamic display.

Damien Hirst, a leading contemporary artist from the UK, has explored themes of art, religion, science, life, and death through various mediums including painting, sculpture, and installation over his career spanning more than 30 years. In his latest series, 'Cherry Blossoms,' he offers his unique interpretation of Western art history, drawing from 19th-century Post-Impressionism and 20th-century Action Painting, to create vibrant and dynamic landscapes.

These works represent a significant achievement in the artist's ongoing exploration of color and pictorial space, which he has pursued through abstract painting since the late 1980s. The landscapes, some measuring over 5 meters in height and 7 meters in width, draw viewers into a fantastical world, much like standing beneath a canopy of cherry blossoms in full, vibrant bloom.

In 2021, Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain introduced this series to the world for the first time, receiving widespread acclaim. Now, in the spring of 2022, The National Art Center, Tokyo, adorned with blooming cherry blossoms, will host 'Damien Hirst: Cherry Blossoms,' the artist's first major exhibition in Japan.

For this exhibition, Hirst himself will select works from the 'Cherry Blossoms' series, comprising 107 pieces, to create the exhibition space. The show offers a valuable opportunity for many, who may have felt a sense of confinement during the pandemic, to fully appreciate the captivating power of painting.

Photographed by Prudence Cuming Associates. © Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved, DACS 2022