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Tallis in Wonderland

The Shocking Yawn

Raymond Tallis takes on the strange case of Damien H.

This summer, the Tate Modern in London hosted a major retrospective of the works of one the best-known contemporary British artists. Now that the exhibition has closed and the space has been liberated for more interesting items such as fresh air and daylight, it is appropriate that philosophers should reflect on the collective delusion that elevated this individual to the status of artist, indeed the status of a Leading British Artist.

In discussing the case of Damien H., it may seem inadvisable to talk about his art. Hasn’t everything, for and against, been said already? Those of us who are against will just have to wait patiently for the South Sea Bubble to burst and the credit default swaps to be called in.

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