Damien Hirst, the English artist, entrepreneur and art collector, has donated a limited edition of his work ‘Butterfly Rainbow’ to Guernsey’s Health and Social Care (HSC) to acknowledge and thank health and care professionals for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Damien created Butterfly Rainbow in May 2020 to show support for the NHS in the Coronavirus crisis. The work is made up of bands of coloured butterfly wings, one of the artist’s best‐known motifs. A limited edition of the work was produced with all profits donated to NHS Charities Together, raising a total of £1,508,172.
HSC received this donation due to its membership of the Hospital Arts Manager Network. This network includes representatives from hospitals in the UK and Guernsey. Other UK hospital trusts have also received a donation of this artwork.
Lottie Barnes, Culture, Arts & health Manager said: “To receive this limited edition piece of artwork is such an honour. I am delighted that it will be on permanent display in the Princess Elizabeth Hospital. To honour our health and care professionals it will originally be displayed as part of a wider exhibition of artwork that was created or gifted during lockdown in the Bailiwick. The exhibition will open in November 2020”.
Damien, when asked about the Butterfly Rainbow artwork earlier this year was quoted as saying: “I wanted to do something to support the many people who are risking their lives to help those in need during this time of crisis. The rainbow is a sign of hope and I’m so pleased to have released these prints to help fund the brilliant work being done by NHS staff across the country”.
The artwork was donated by Mr Hirst on the basis that:
- It is always on view to the general public;
- It is never sold;
- It is in a location where there is an arts manager or a named person responsible for artwork on site.
