Damien Hirst U. K. , 1965

The composition of this print was first used as a patter in the 2004 group exhibition of the same name. Held at Tate Britain, Hirst exhibited alongside long-time friends and fellow YBA’s Angus Fairhurst and Sarah Lucas. The name In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was originally taken from the title track of an LP released in 1968 by the West Coast rock band, Iron Butterfly. Originally intended to be called ‘In the Garden of Eden’ the song became known as In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ after the lead singer, in a state of great drunkenness, slurred the words of the track when it was first announced. In the context of Hirst’s work, it again references one of his favourite themes: the contemporary consequences of the original myth of falling from grace.