XXXII: Asbestos: Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst
XXXII: Asbestos
From Poisons + Remedies (2010)
13 ¾ x 11 inches
Published by Gagosian Gallery & Other Criteria
Print (framed)
Taken from Damien Hirst’s limited-edition artist book Poisons + Remedies, Asbestos (Plate XXXII) is a framed book print that distills a complex material legacy into a single word—stripped of imagery, yet heavy with cultural and historical meaning. Removed from the original 2010 volume and archivally framed, this piece turns a once-functional page into a stark, meditative object.
Known for its former use as a “miracle” material and its eventual condemnation as a carcinogenic hazard, asbestos embodies the contradiction at the heart of Hirst’s series: the blurred line between help and harm. The clean typography and clinical format reflect the deceptive neutrality of scientific language—while the word itself carries decades of industrial, medical, and ethical weight.
Measuring 13 ¾ x 11 inches and preserved in excellent condition, this framed book print stands as a haunting minimalist work. Ideal for collectors interested in the tension between language, materiality, and the hidden dangers of progress.