Damien Hirst

“I remember when you used to have your profession on your passport and I always thought that being a painter was the best one to be, because my heroes were Goya and Francis Bacon.”

“No, I don't believe in genius. I believe in freedom. I think anyone can do it. Anyone can be like Rembrandt.”

“When I used to do abstract paintings at school, like everyone else, the tutor said these would make great curtains. I would always neglect the formal stuff that was going on by using colour, because colour kind of came naturally to me.”

“The goal in life is to be solid, whereas the way that life works is totally fluid, so you can never actually achieve that goal.”

“In an artwork you're always looking for artistic decisions, so an ashtray is perfect. An ashtray has got life and death.”

“Sometimes when you're drunk you can see better.”

“I was taught to confront things you can't avoid. Death is one of those things. To live in a society where you're trying not to look at it is stupid because looking at death throws us back into life with more vigour and energy. The fact that flowers don't last for ever makes them beautiful.”

“You need a big ego to be an artist.”

“I always feel a bit trapped when a painting goes for millions of pounds and only one person can have it. If you can have that as well as a poster on every student's wall, then you're in a very enviable position. I'd like to do a Damien Hirst for £500 at some point.”

“It's a great advantage to be able to play people off against each other, isn't it? You go to Christie's and get a quote on something. And then you go to Phillips' and you tell them what Christie's has given you. I like auctions for artists.”

“You'd never look at a Rembrandt and say, 'That's just wood and canvas and paint - how much?!' It's all about how many people want it. It works on a pair of jeans as well - they're just material and stitching, and as soon as you walk out of the shop, they're worth nothing.”

“Artists are like everybody else.”

“Kids are naturally gifted at art from a very young age. The problem is when they get older and become self-conscious. The process should always be fun, though.”