DAMIEN HIRST ON THE TIDE?

One of the world’s most successful contemporary artists talks to Louise Sagnia and Philippa Richardson about life on the Peninsula, his new works, freshly installed along The Tide, and explains why he feels this spot next to the Thames is perfect.  

Damien Hirst is one of Greenwich Peninsula’s most famous former residents. Shortly after arriving in London, back in the late 1980s, he lived on River Way, close to the Pilot pub. Back then, Hirst had yet to make a name for himself, and the Peninsula was home to condemned industrial works, fit for little more than the occasional film set or music video shoot. Yet the nascent artist still found plenty to admire in the city and the river.  

Returning a little over three decades later to install works from his 2017 Venice exhibition, Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable, he tells us how surprised he was to still recognise the place, and how pleased to discover his underwater works have found their way to the banks of the Thames. 

Hi Damien. So tell us about when you lived on the Peninsula. 

It was just before I went to Goldsmiths, so it must have been 1987-88. And it was at 80 River Way, near where the Pilot pub is. It’s so weird, because when I came down to look at the site of the sculptures, I totally assumed it had all been knocked down, but actually it’s the only thing left. I was really shocked.  

What was it like back then? 

It was in the middle of a gasworks; there was poisoned land everywhere, and there was just this one street. They used to film a lot of movies in the gasworks in the area; I think Kubrick made Full Metal Jacket there, and Mick Jagger and David Bowie did their Dancing in the Street video, too. Sometimes we’d go over there and hang out on a set in the middle of this wasteland. It was quite surreal; I remember all these palm trees being there at one point. It was constantly changing. 

What did enjoy about the area?  

At the end of the night, I’d sit by the river and look at all the rusted cranes. I’d collect things that were washed up on the riverbank, too; old bottles and bits of plastic, which I’d make into collages. That process later influenced my series, Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable, which is where the Peninsula’s artworks come from. 

How did that 2017 show, a collection of 100 “ancient treasures”, pulled from a sunken wreck, come about?  

The whole show looks at the idea of belief. Belief is something that we need, whether it’s belief in religion, or belief in the media, or whatever. I remember once, years ago, I was in Turkey, walking through one of the old ruins when a man came towards me with a coin, trying to sell it to me. I thought, “Wow, it’s an old coin from these old ruins” – just believed him and bought it. It’s the oldest trick in the book. It taps into that. The reason why the trick works is that you’re desperate to believe it before you start out. But there are other influences in there, too. A lot of the works were based on old movies that I liked when I growing up as a kid, like [Ray Harryhausen’s] Jason and the Argonauts and Sinbad. About how these stories have been retold over and over. Also, wanting to do a collection of 100 objects was a bit inspired by Neil MacGregor’s radio show, A History of the World in 100 Objects. All those objects came from the British Museum, whereas all mine belonged to one collector. 

Could you tell us a bit about the first pieces to be installed on the peninsula: Mermaid, Hydra and Kali?  

For the Mermaid, I imagined the collector had fallen in love with a woman and commissioned a sculpture of her. Under one of the sculpture’s waves is a blue-ringed octopus, one of the most poisonous animals in the sea. There’s also a parrot fish, and crabs in her hair. I added in some contemporary references, such as [Japanese visual artist Takashi] Murakami’s Cowboy. The great thing about Treasures was you could reference all these contemporary things, but it was an ancient artwork, so you predated them. You could take anything from anywhere, and instead of stealing from them, they stole it from this ancient work, here! I wanted to play with ideas of authenticity.  

I think the Mermaid represents the gullibility of the collector. He was gullible in his ideas, in his tastes. The whole idea that the collection disappeared without a trace, and all his treasures were lost, his dream was futile – it speaks to everyone’s successes and failures. Maybe the Mermaid sums that up more than the other works. 

How about Hydra and Kali? 

That’s a battle between the sexes, male and female, swords against serpents, but it was also about the ravages of time, the war of time as well. The snakes are based on a depiction of Hydra in a painting by Gustave Moreau. Kali is a bit mixed up; some parts come from the old Jason and the Argonauts movie, even though Kali is Hindu. There’s also some similarities with the Greek Hecate. That’s what’s great, being able to take inspiration from different cultures.   

Do you think anyone believes that Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable is real? 

I hope so. I do [laughs]. 

How do you feel about Treasures coming to the Greenwich Peninsula? 

Oh, I’m really pleased. I started work on the sculptures before I had a place to show them. Then I eventually displayed them in Venice, and that was amazing, to have that association with the water. I think all the works are at home beside water; it’s so nice that that carries on. 

GREENWICH PENINSULA

GREENWICH PENINSULA IS A DYNAMIC NEW AREA OF LONDON, BRINGING CITY BUZZ TO A WATER SIDE SETTING, FUELLED BY A CREATIVE SPIRIT.

On Greenwich Peninsula, a uniquely modern area of London is emerging that harnesses an inventive spirit to create a truly forward-thinking neighbourhood. The ￡8.4 billion investment in the Peninsula is forging an entirely new community and a creative blueprint for the London of the future.

Combining cutting edge design with a vibrant cultural scene in a setting of wide-open skies and sweeping river views, it’s a community with both creativity and relaxation at its heart. Wrapped by the majesty of the Thames and only one stop from Canary Wharf, Upper Riverside is one of seven integrated and distinctive neighbourhoods that are rising up across the Peninsula.

From the entrepreneurial creativity of the Design District bordering the green swathes of Parkside, to the buzz of Peninsula Central with its boutiques and renowned restaurants, to the elevated garden walkway known as The Tide that connects it all – this progressive London destination will inspire a new concept for urban living.

INTERIORS

Innovative and bespoke design is at the heart of the Peninsula’s aesthetic. This extends to the interiors of each of the five Upper Riverside towers that have their own design.

At No.5 Knight Dragon have drawn on the elemental river and its surrounding urban landscape.

“We wanted to provide a sense of connection between the apartments and their surroundings by referencing the river, the shoreline and the urban landscape,” explains Jane Lawrence of Knight Dragon.

Through their use of a rich tonal palette and materials inspired by the surrounding landscape, they have created a warm ambience while also making a strong individual statement.

The Thames is an imposing ever-changing confluence, expansive and dynamic with ever changing colours and a shoreline that reveals new materials at each tide.

In their concept for the interiors at No.5, our designers have taken inspiration from this in their use of both colour and texture.

The river’s influence can be seen throughout the interiors of No.5 with light and dark gravel like textured tiles bringing to mind the shore as it is revealed. Tonally darker in design than the other family of buildings at Upper Riverside, No.5 uses muddy tones to further evoke the might of the Thames.

THE CLUB

A relaxed and welcoming members’ club, without the chore of having to get in.

Bringing together some of London’s most celebrated designers, Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio, State of Craft and Studio Ashby, The club is an eclectic mix. 

On Level 15 of No.2 is renew, a temple to wellness designed by Tom Dixon that includes a state of the art exercise studio overlooking the river, private spa, and one of London’s highest indoor pools with the city skyline as a backdrop. With terraces for lounging after a workout or steam bath, Renew also has showers, towels and lockers for runners and cyclists on their return from around the Peninsula.

The club is where all the residents come together, whether at film screenings in the cinema at No.5, an outdoor yoga class on the cascading outdoor terraces or at work in the co-working space.

A coffee lounging on the modish furniture on the sun deck or a Manhattan in the residents lounge, the club lets you wind down as well as work up a sweat. Neighbours meet in the sleekly designed lobbies to plan the day ahead or get creative in the co-working spaces where ideas become reality.

A striking feature of the architecture of Upper Riverside, the cascading terraces offer much more than commanding river views. Once part of the community you’ll find yourself using the expansive terraces for everything from lunchtime meetings to outdoor Yoga classes and impromptu BBQ parties with new friends.

Contact EMWC:

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: 020 8638 8380

Address: 23 Austin Friars, London EC2N 2QP

Website: https://www.eastmeetswestclub.com/

Contact Greenwich Peninsula:

Wing Chan Dean - International Sales Manager

Address: Gateway Pavilion, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0SQ

 T: +44 (0) 203 770 2243

M: +44 (0) 7436 265 707

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.greenwichpeninsula.co.uk