About this work: This drawing confronts, not without sarcasm, two icons of contemporary art, Damien Hirst's shark and Andy Warhol's can of soup (which here has a new flavour as it has a shark's tail). Some of Eugenio Merino's recent productions are dedicated to the cultural icons of the 20th and 21st centuries, of which Andy Warhol and more recently Damien Hirst are certainly part. If art historians have made Pop Art the first trend in contemporary art, what is the place of Damien Hirst's shark? Perhaps it marks the end of contemporary art? Eugenio Merino also raises the subject of scandal in art. In the 1960s Andy Warhol's tin cans shocked an American public that was unprepared for new artistic experiments. In 1992, Damien Hirst, in turn, met all the conditions for the perfect artistic scandal by presenting a shark corpse in formaldehyde.

About the artist: Born in 1975 in Spain. Lives and works in Madrid (Spain).
A graduate of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Eugenio Merino is a Spanish artist who uses drawing, video, sculpture and installations to create committed works. His art deals with the most burning issues in our society, taking politics, the economy and religion as subjects for exploration. Not without irony, his hyper-realistic works are known for their criticism of capitalism and its excesses. He also questions the excesses of the art market and its actors such as fairs, gallery owners and certain artists who make art a subject of calculation and speculation. His sculpture For the love of Go(l)d questions Damien Hirst's gold skull For the love of God, known as the most expensive work in the world and whose intrinsic value has boosted the British artist's stock price.
Eugenio Merino's work has been shown at numerous exhibitions and fairs such as ARCO (Madrid, Spain), Art Brussels (Brussels, Belgium), FIAC (Paris, France) and B.P.S 22 (Charleroi, Belgium). The artist also collaborates with the Spanish magazine Mongolia, which, in the vein of Charlie Hebdo or Le Canard Enchaîné, is the expression of a certain political activism through the pen and satire.
Eugenio Merino is represented by Unix Gallery (New York, USA) and ADN Galeria (Barcelona, Spain).

Expert's Opinion: Eugenio Merino's work skilfully blends drama and humour in order to highlight complex, sometimes shameful truths. Although the Spanish artist is best known for his hyper-realistic installations and sculptures, this drawing is part of the artist's cross-disciplinary practice while also addressing his usual concerns. This piece, a sort of mise en abyme, is ideal for art history enthusiasts. It should be noted that although the work is in perfect condition, the frame is partly damaged.

Please note: The work is available for collection at our partner's locations in Paris.

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