Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Killer
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Killer is a 2017 silkscreen from Hirst's 'Eat the Rich' series, published by Other Criteria in an edition of 150, signed and numbered, at 40 by 30 inches (1016 by 762 mm). It presents pharmaceutical packaging in which the tablet's brand name is replaced by the word 'Killer', collapsing the boundary between cure and lethality.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 150. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
Killer is perhaps the most pointed title in the suite, naming the darkest possibility latent in any medicine. The word turns the packaging's promise inside out, foregrounding Hirst's enduring theme that the medical industry mediates both life and death. The clinical restraint of the design makes the single word all the more jarring.
Collector Perspective
Its blunt, memorable title gives Killer particular standalone presence, while it remains one of twelve sheets sought for a full set. At an edition of 150, a signed and numbered impression with clean margins and rich ink is the target. The provocative title often makes it a focal point within a partial 'Eat the Rich' grouping.
Historical Context
Published by Other Criteria in 2017, Killer draws on the same appropriated-packaging logic as the Last Supper screenprints. The series distils the concerns of Hirst's early Medicine Cabinets, using the pill packet as an emblem of an industry whose minimalist design radiates confidence while masking risk.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2017
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 40 x 30 inches; Silkscreen print; 'Eat the Rich' is a new series of twelve screenprints that depicts pharmaceutical packaging in which the tablet's brand name has been replaced by a word implying violence or force; Similar to the thirteen-part 'Last Supper' screenprints, 'Eat the Rich' illustrates the artist's "obsession with the body" and the medical industry attached to it, in which confidence is exuded through minimalist designs that perpetuate "the modernist fantasy […] that everyone and everything can be cured.".
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 150.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. 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: Published by Other Criteria in 2017, Killer draws on the same appropriated-packaging logic as the Last Supper screenprints. 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 2017 and attributes the edition to Other Criteria. The saved description also notes: Published by Other Criteria.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- The saved release description references: 'Eat the Rich' is a new series of twelve screenprints that depicts pharmaceutical packaging in which the tablet's brand name has been replaced by a word implying violence or force. Confirm any original sleeve, tube, box, or backing board copy by copy.
- 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
What word appears on Killer?
The pharmaceutical brand name is replaced by the word 'Killer'.
What is the edition size?
It was published in an edition of 150, each signed and numbered.
Who published the print?
It was published by Other Criteria in 2017.
What series is it from?
It belongs to the twelve-part 'Eat the Rich' screenprint series.
