Damien Hirst burns artworks after collectors pick their NFTs instead

LONDON: Britain’s Damien Hirst started burning hundreds of his artworks last Tuesday after collectors chose to keep their non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain-based assets representing their digital images, instead. Hirst, who found fame amid the 1990s Young British Artist scene, launched his first NFT collection “The Currency” - 10,000 NFTs corresponding to 10,000 original artworks depicting colourful spots - in July 2021. Livestreaming the event, the Turner prize winner and assistants used tongs to deposit individual pieces stacked in piles into fireplaces in the gallery as onlookers watched. Hirst also shared a picture with the caption, “Finished the burn!!!”