Shropshire Star
Close

Damien Hirst artwork joins Bob Dylan pieces set to under the hammer at Shropshire auction

Works by English artists Damien Hirst and Mr. Controversial are among the paintings coming up for auction in Shrewsbury next month.

By Dominic Robertson
Published

Entries to Halls Fine Art’s March 18 auction of Modern and Contemporary Art and Design at the Battlefield saleroom closed on Friday, February 13.

Valued at £2,000 to £4,000, Hirst’s acrylic on paper, ‘Butterfly Spin’ joins three artworks by London-based Mr. Controversial - ‘Excusez-Moi’, ‘Passive Aggressive is My Love Language’ and ‘Meltdown’ - each valued at £2,000 to £3,000 in the auction.

Reportedly the UK’s richest living artist, Hirst, who was born in 1965, was one of the Young British Artists who dominated the art scene in the 1990s. 

Damien Hirst’s ‘Butterfly Spin’ valued at £2,000 to £4,000.
Damien Hirst’s ‘Butterfly Spin’ valued at £2,000 to £4,000.

Mr. Controversial brings vintage imagery back to life with oil paint and relatable captions that tell comical, satirical and sometimes dark stories.

Mr. Controversial’s artwork ‘Meltdown’ valued at £2,000 to £3,000.
Mr. Controversial’s artwork ‘Meltdown’ valued at £2,000 to £3,000.

Other works consigned are ‘Untitled Abstract’, an etching and aquatint by Victor Pasmore (1908-‘98) from the Rothko Memorial Portfolio and ‘Autumn Oak’, an oil on board by Fred Cuming (1930-2022), each valued at £800 to £1,200.

Fred Cuming’s oil on board ‘Autumn Oak’ valued at £800 to £1,200.
Fred Cuming’s oil on board ‘Autumn Oak’ valued at £800 to £1,200.

Welsh artist Aneurin M. Jones (1930-2017) has two paintings on offer – ‘Welsh Farmers at a Stock Sale’ and ‘Farmers and Welsh Cob’ – each valued at £800 to £1,200.

One of Aneurin M. Jones’ two paintings each valued at £800 to £1,200.
One of Aneurin M. Jones’ two paintings each valued at £800 to £1,200.

The auction also includes a selection of works by other artists, who have previously sold at Halls Fine Art, including Bob Dylan, Ronald Maddox and Len Roope.

Chloe Delpy-Harding, from Halls Fine Art’s modern and contemporary art and design team, is hoping to continue the success of the most recent Modern and Contemporary Art and Design, held last November.

Two landscape oil paintings, one by Italian Master Paolo Salvati (1939-2014) titled ‘English Landscape’ and other by Franco-Russian artist Ivan Fedorovitch Choultse (1874-1939) titled ‘Sunrise over the Harvest’ sold for £7,000 apiece.

A Venetian scene by Slovenian artist Zoran Antonio Mušič (1909-2005) also sold for £2,000 and painting of a sheepdog and sheep by Aneurin M. Jones achieved £1,750.

Chloe may be reached at Halls Fine Art on 01743 450700 (option 4) or via email at fineart@hallsgb.com.