Avant Garde comes from the French meaning "Advanced Guard" and is generally used in the context of art, culture and politics to describe someone or some group who are experimental or novel in their way of thinking. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avant-garde)So today's topic is Damien Hirst and the diamond/platinum skull sculpture. Many people regard Hirst as being avant garde due to his contributions to the art world including various animals in formaldehyde, swirly pictures that look like they were made using this: http://www.atireland.ie/toylibrary/catalogue/item.php?itemID=14, and other pictures featuring a matrix of different coloured dots which may well have been made by other people under his tutelage - something he actually admits to. His major contribution to music was the highly popular (to number 2) record "Vindaloo" under the name of "Fat Les". You can learn the deep and meaningful lyrics here: http://lyricz.net/F/Fat+Les/119505/
But why have I chosen Hirst as being appropriate today? Because there is apparently some disagreement about how much he sold "For the Love of God" (you know - the platinum skull encrusted with diamonds) for. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23411513-details/Did+Damien+Hirst+really+sell+diamond+skull+for+%C2%A350m/article.do. Now, this is probably standard Sunday tabloid does-anyone-really-care shit, but I thought it was worth a mention anyway. Because DH is a boy done good. A dad who was a car mechanic and who fucked off fairly soon after DH arrived on the scene, and a mum who worked at C.A.B. (Citizens' Advice Bureau) - a very worthy and completely under-supported charity.
As a bit of trivia - apparently the only bit intact from the original skull is the original skull-owner's teeth. You can see the work in progress here: http://www.supertouchblog.com/2007/07/21/techniquethe-making-of-damien-hirsts-diamond-skull/
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