Damien Hirst to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Hirst fans. Speculation had been rife that artist behind the shark in formaldehyde is about to announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 61, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 02/10/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being an artist isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being an artist-painter just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouDamien

For a little while on Thursday evening, #ThankYouDamien was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Damien Hirst was unlike any other artist we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouDamien”
— @universalObserver, 1 Oct 2026

“I thought Damien Hirst retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 1 Oct 2026

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