Damien Hirst was born in Bristol in 1965 and graduated from Goldsmiths in 1989. In 1988, while still a student, he curated an exhibition called Freeze in London’s Docklands, which showcased his own work and that of fellow students. He was subsequently acknowledged as the leading figure in the celebrated group of British artists who emerged in the 1990s. He has gone on to exhibit across the world and was awarded the Turner Prize in 1995. His exhibition at White Cube London in 2003 was his first solo show in Britain for eight years. He lives and works in London, Devon and Gloucestershire, England.