Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Dark Rainbow
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Dark Rainbow (2016) is a resin sculpture published by Other Criteria in an edition of 40, measuring roughly 56 x 40 x 25 cm. It renders a shark's open jaws in three dimensions, the teeth cast in bands of bright, translucent resin. Signed by Hirst in pencil on the underside of the jaw, it is the rare object among his editions.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 40. The saved release record describes: signed. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The shark is Hirst's signature emblem of mortality, first realized in the 1991 formaldehyde tank. Dark Rainbow pulls the jaws out of that context and stands them free as a colored, almost cartoonish trophy. It matters because it is a sculptural edition, not a print, translating a career-defining motif into a tangible, collectible form.
Collector Perspective
At 40 examples, this is one of Hirst's smallest and most physical editions, and three-dimensional objects sit apart from his prolific print output. Collectors value the hand-signature on the jaw, the substantial resin construction, and the display presence. As a freestanding sculpture it appeals to buyers seeking an object rather than a wall work.
Historical Context
Hirst's shark imagery traces to The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991), the piece that helped define the Young British Artists. Dark Rainbow, produced through Other Criteria, the artist's own publishing house, distills that iconography into an approachable sculptural edition two and a half decades later.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned sculpture / object
- Release date
- 2016
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Sculpture; catalog dimensions 56 x 40 x 25 cm; Signed on underside of jaw in pencil and silkscreened in ink with title, date and 'Other Criteria' on base of stand; The shark's jaws we see numerously in Hirst's paintings are manifested here in 3-dimensions, the coloured, resin teeth lending a cartoon element to Dark Rainbow.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 40.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats Damien Hirst's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: Read as documented context rather than stated intent: Hirst's shark imagery traces to The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991), the piece that helped define the Young British Artists. This is an interpretive reading of the release context, not a statement of the artist's intent for this specific work. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2016 and attributes the edition to Other Criteria. The saved description also notes: Published by Other Criteria.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to Other Criteria. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Starting record for title, year, edition, dimensions, medium, and release description. Primary confirmation against the original release page remains pending.
- Damien Hirst — official site — Damien Hirst studio (Science Ltd.) · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official artist site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- Damien Hirst — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- Damien Hirst (Q294326) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
Is Dark Rainbow a print or a sculpture?
It is a three-dimensional resin sculpture, not a print, depicting a shark's jaws with colored resin teeth.
How is it signed?
Hirst signed it in pencil on the underside of the jaw; the title, date and 'Other Criteria' are silkscreened in ink on the base of the stand.
How large is the edition?
It was published by Other Criteria in an edition of 40.
What motif does it reference?
The shark, one of Hirst's central symbols of fear and mortality, seen in his tank works and paintings.
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