John LeKay , Spiritus Callidus, crystal skull, 1993.

"For the Laugh of God", Peter Fuss, plastic and glass,2007.

Diamond skull

Young British Artists (YBA) are group of students attended Goldsmiths College in London. They became representatives of Britart and were called "Young British Artists" after the exhibition presented by Saatchi Gallery in 1992.Those artists brought "shock tactics" to the world of contemporary art, like using throwaway materials or animals etc.

Damien Hirst is one of the leading artists of the YBA. His sculpture "For the love of God" was produced in 2007.It is a human skull,covered with platinum cast and 8,601 diamonds. In the forehead of the skull there is a pink diamond with the shape of pear. In 1993, artist John LeKay, Hirst`s friend, presented a skull with crystals (Spiritus Callidus). Hirst`s work is in some way is different from crystal skull. "For the love of God" is totally covered with diamonds, except the real human teeth.The theme of death was not new for Hirst in this work. Most of his works were related to death. Hirst called the work after mother’s question "For the love of God, what are you going to do now?"

In my opinion, it is an exact form of Mercantilism. I do not think that the work shows or gives any meaning as a work of art. Skull is just a skull, with diamonds or not. I do not think that so much money and means should be spent for decorating a skull. "For the love of God" serves for showing status of an owner.