Hirstians vs. Koonsians: Two Warring Camps?

Damien Hirst, "The Virgin Mother," 2005, the Lever House Art Collection

When it comes to the two mega-million contemporary art-market stars---Koons and Hirst---I've sometimes thought that the sensibility that feels attuned to one cannot also strongly admire the other (unless you're a profit-oriented dealer or a trophy-hunting collector).

The former artist is engaged in what seems to me a shallow pursuit of joy; the latter morbidly dwells on more profound issues of mortality and vanity---the fact that we and the rest of the fauna inhabiting this planet are the stuff that dreams are made on (with an emphasis on "stuff").

As you can guess, I'm a Hirstian. Roberta Smith in yesterday's NY Times piece on public sculpture seemed to declare herself a Koonsian, praising his pieces (especially his undeniably cute flowery puppy) while dismissing Hirst's "The Virgin Mother" (above)---a monumental bronze sculpture of a flayed (to expose her innards) pregnant woman, which was installed in Lever House's outdoor plaza in Manhattan, in connection with the elaborate display of dead sheep and other Damien detritus in the building's lobby.

Without elaborating, Smith damned the mega-momma as evidence that "new public sculpture is not always good." Why this piece is no good, she never does tell us. I think a critic owes us (and the artists she criticizes) a bit more explanation of her condemnation.

She did sort of like the shark at the Met, though.