PETER BLAKE ON DAMIEN HIRST

He refutes the notion that money and record-breaking prices at auction have supplanted creativity as their motivation. "In Damien's case, his work is about money. But if the money stopped tomorrow, he'd be perfectly happy. He's down there in Devon right now looking after the kids, painting on his own in the studio, and he'd settle for that."The diamond skull was about making something that was worth £50 million, he didn't want the £50 million. The work has often been about the phenomena of money. In his case it's a valid reason to be painting. He's not greedy or avaricious, he's generous to other people. If it stopped tomorrow, he would have made his point. Damien's unique.

-The Telegraph
July 25 2010