Art books · The dissenting voice
Con Art: Julian Spalding against Damien Hirst
The pamphlet challenging Hirst and conceptual art: arguments, limits and reasons to read it before buying.
Quick answer: is there a book against Damien Hirst?
Yes. In Con Art, critic and former museum director Julian Spalding attacks Hirst and part of conceptual art, arguing that shock, idea and reputation do not by themselves make an object art.
The 2012 CreateSpace edition is ISBN 9781475088434. Its deliberate one-sidedness completes the other readings by introducing dissent.
Julian Spalding’s thesis
Spalding attacks a system that assigns value through institutions, publicity and price, comparing Hirst’s market to a bubble. Duchamp, Warhol, Beuys and Koons enter his broader rejection of idea-centred art.
This is an argument, not settled fact. Hirst’s museum reception and persistent market are substantial counterarguments, and contemporary responses strongly disputed Spalding.
Why dissent helps buyers
Responsible buying seeks more than confirmation. Hostile criticism tests whether judgment depends on price, celebrity or direct experience, and separates financial risk from aesthetic disagreement.
The weekly triad offers artist, economist and critic. No single perspective is sufficient.
Bibliographic record and readers
Julian Spalding, Con Art: Why You Ought to Sell Your Damien Hirsts While You Can, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012, ISBN 9781475088434, English.
For readers, critics and collectors who want to test consensus around major contemporary names.
Sources and further reading
Sources allow readers to verify and explore. Official artist links are part of the feature, not an appendix.
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