The world most expensive contemporary art work has arrived in Florence. It is “For the Love of God” created by Damien Hirst and it will remain in Palazzo Vecchio until May 1, 2011.

Lots of talks about the artist and his works, just think of the famous shark and then of all the other animals preserved in formaldehyde.

This time he seems to have exaggerated because he has taken a human skull and has covered it 8,601 diamonds for a total of 1,106 carats. Also valuable are the teeth that are obtained from a real 1700 skull that Hirst has bought in London. On the forehead there is a large pink diamond teardrop shaped, called this “the star of the skull.”

The work is on sale for the modest sum of 75 million euro!
And the controversy revolves precisely around this. Can this extremely expensive work be considered art?
Admiring it will enrich us or Hirst only, who is ranked # 532 in the UK “Rich List”?

I do not know, because the answer is very personal: you have to see this creation to be able to verify if such a a high concentration of wealth conveys emotions that can be related to art.

The skull will be exposed on the first floor of Palazzo Vecchio,  entrance form Salone dei Cinquecento at  a fee is 10 €.