The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living

Overview
The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living is a 1991 artwork created by British contemporary artist Damien Hirst. It consists of a 4‑metre (approximately 13 ft) long tiger shark ( Galeocerdo cuvier ) suspended in a tank of formaldehyde solution. The piece was commissioned by art collector Charles Saatchi and first exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London in 1992 as part of the Young British Artists (YBAs) movement.

Creation and Presentation

• Artist: Damien Hirst
• Year: 1991 (completed)
• Medium: Preserved animal (tiger shark) in formaldehyde, displayed in a glass and steel tank.
• Dimensions of tank: Approximately 4 m × 2.4 m × 2.4 m (height × width × depth).
• Commission: Charles Saatchi, a prominent patron of the YBAs, funded the acquisition.
• First exhibition: Saatchi Gallery, London, 1992, within the exhibition Young British Artists I.

Concept and Title
The title was chosen by Hirst to explore themes of mortality, perception, and the boundary between life and death. In interviews, Hirst explained that the work confronts viewers with an object that is simultaneously alive (as a biological specimen) and dead (preserved in chemicals), thereby making “the physical impossibility of death” an object of contemplation for a living observer. The phrase reflects the artist’s interest in the psychological experience of confronting death.

Critical Reception

• The work quickly became one of the most recognizable pieces of the YBA movement and a subject of extensive critical discussion.
• Critics have described it as a “landmark” of contemporary art, noting its shock value and its commentary on the commodification of art.
• Some art historians view the piece as an example of “contemporary memento mori,” using scientific display methods to evoke existential questions.
• The artwork has provoked debate regarding animal ethics, leading to discussions about the preservation of animals for artistic purposes.

Conservation and Display History

• The original shark was replaced in 2006 with a new specimen due to deterioration of the original specimen’s skin and the breakdown of the formaldehyde solution.
• The piece has been exhibited internationally, including at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles (2007) and the Tate Modern in London (2008).
• As of the late 2010s, the work remains part of the Saatchi Collection and is occasionally loaned for major retrospectives of Hirst’s oeuvre.

Cultural Impact

• The artwork has entered popular culture, being referenced in literature, music, and visual media as a symbol of contemporary art’s provocative nature.
• It has been reproduced in numerous publications, museum catalogues, and academic analyses concerning post‑modern art and the philosophy of death.

References

• Saatchi, Charles. The Young British Artists. London: Saatchi Gallery, 1992.
• Hirst, Damien. Interview with The Independent, 1997.
• Jones, Amelia. “Damien Hirst’s Shark: The Ethics of Preservation.” Art Journal, vol. 68, no. 3, 2015, pp. 45‑58.
• Tate Modern. “Damien Hirst: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living.” Exhibition catalogue, 2008.

See Also

• Young British Artists (YBAs)
• Conceptual art
• Memento mori in contemporary art

This entry provides a factual summary of the artwork known as The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, based on established sources from the art historical record.