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Love him. Hate him. Adore or despise him. Few would deny that Damien Hirst is one of the most contentious figures in the industry. He’s a master at pissing people off, while also managing to maintain a cultish following. Is this divisiveness not exactly what he wants? People love talking about him - does that make him a good artist? The jury’s still out and probably never coming back with a definitive answer, but you do sense that he lives for the noise, and perhaps most importantly, it lets him keep the water and gas running in his humble abode(s).

Hirst’s work has rarely stood still throughout his career. He burst onto the scene in the late ‘80s alongside other YBA’s (Emin, Quinn, Whiteread, Hume, etc.) under the patronage of Charles Saatchi. His formaldehyde works came to epitomise the British art scene of the time, and of course, proved deeply controversial. As did his £50 million diamond skull made of real human teeth and 8,601 pavé-laid diamonds… And how about his Tate retrospective in 2012 that led to the death of 9,000 butterflies?

His pharmacy works carry an eyebrow-raising similarity to Joseph Cornell’s works in the ‘40s and you could say his dot paintings have a lot of overlap with Thomas Downing’s work in the mid ‘60s, but then again don’t all great artists steal, not borrow? Most recently, his burning of millions of pounds worth of art during the cost of living crisis, as part of his NFT Currency project, caused even more offence to some.

In spite of all this, his popularity seems to feed on his controversy and as people continue to flock to his shows and spend immense sums on his work, we don’t see signs of that changing anytime soon.

Damien Hirst: “All my favourite artists from the past, the way they move forwards is what interests me … And the way they stop being one thing, like the Beatles – the way they totally reinvented themselves and changed into something else”.

Damien Hirst

Banksy and Damien Hirst are two of the most dominant figures in the secondary art market, but they represent very different approaches to contemporary art.

## **[Banksy](https://fairart.com/artists/banksy/1229): The Street Art Rebel**

![banksy-flower-thrower-triptych-grey-2019-signed-framed-02_LE_auto_x2_no_background.png](https://cdn.fairart.io/banksy_flower_thrower_triptych_grey_2019_signed_framed_02_LE_auto_x2_no_background_77053efca3.png)
Banksy's market presence has surged in recent years, with his pieces regularly breaking auction records. His anonymity, politically charged messages, and viral appeal contribute to a high demand for his works. Notable sales include Love is in the Bin (2021), which sold for £18.6 million, after originally self-destructing at auction. His prints and limited editions are also a strong force in the secondary market, often seeing triple-digit percentage price increases since their release.

**Why Banksy dominates:**

Scarcity of authenticated works (handled through Pest Control)
Strong cultural relevance and media attention
Accessible price points for prints compared to originals

## [Damien Hirst](https://fairart.com/artists/damien-hirst/1289): The Blue-Chip Conceptualist

![Damien Hirst_Victory Over Death(1).jpg](https://cdn.fairart.io/Damien_Hirst_Victory_Over_Death_1_181636ffdb.jpg)

Hirst, a YBA (Young British Artist) superstar, has been a mainstay of the high-end secondary market for decades. His works, such as The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (the infamous shark in formaldehyde), have sold for tens of millions. In 2008, he bypassed galleries entirely and sold his Beautiful Inside My Head Forever collection directly at Sotheby’s, generating £111 million—an unprecedented move in the art market.

**Why Hirst dominates:**

Institutional backing and long-term collector demand
Large-scale production of iconic works (spot paintings, butterflies, medicine cabinets)
Investment appeal as a well-established blue-chip artist

## Who Wins?

It depends on how you define "ruling" the secondary market.

Banksy drives viral demand, print-market flipping, and cultural engagement. His work appeals to a younger, hype-driven audience.
Hirst commands institutional respect and long-term collector investment, with high-value sales continuing despite market fluctuations.
Both remain key players, but in terms of accessibility, hype, and resale value growth, Banksy currently holds the edge in the contemporary secondary market.

**What’s your take—who do you think dominates?**


Banksy vs. Damien Hirst: Who Rules the Secondary Art Market?

Banksy: The Street Art Rebel

Damien Hirst: The Blue-Chip Conceptualist

Who Wins?

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