09/10/2026
Damien Hirst cracked the code to the art world, and the purists hated him for it. 🎨 Let’s talk about why the “starving artist” narrative is a total trap.
The art world elite love to tell you to create solely for yourself and stay out of business. Yet, bizarrely, they pressure you to make all your art look identical. Why? Because a predictable style is incredibly easy for business people to market and make money off your back.
For years with my brand, Elluse, I struggled with the guilt of making my work more commercial. But discovering how Damien Hirst handles his career changed everything for me. Hearing him say to play the game completely on your own terms helped me adjust as an artist. It gave me the validation I needed and made me feel so much better knowing I wasn’t the only one going against the traditional rules.
We are not one-dimensional. We can be creators, innovators, and business owners all at once. We are meant to evolve.
That also applies to the tools we use. The establishment views modern tech as a major sin for a ‘real’ artist—a debate that boomed when Hirst literally set fire to thousands of his own physical paintings because buyers chose the digital NFT version.
My take? I embrace technology as a tool to elevate my workflow, but I will never abandon the physical canvas. Technology should enhance how we view the natural world, not diminish it.
What’s your take? Did you ever feel guilty for trying to sell your work? Let’s debate in the comments. 👇
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