Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Damien Hirst's Band Aid cover banned

Digital Spy says "controversial contemporary artist Damien Hirst has shown record bosses what he has come up with for the sleeve artwork for Do They Know It's Christmas? but it has been rejected on the basis that it would frighten small children, reports the Mirror.

Despite having reportedly been given a free reign as to how to adorn the single's sleeve, Hirst's work has been rejected on grounds of unsuitability. The potential artwork in fact seemed very appropriate. On one side it depicts the Grim Reaper cradling a starving African child in his arms, set against a blue sky with fluffy clouds, and on the other is a white child flaunting money.

There is to be a child with some baby reindeer (see picture of cover - in previous post here).

A spokesperson said: "The design Damien produced was for the front and back of a CD but we were later told they only wanted something for a front cover. It's a shame. Damien really wanted to do his bit.

"People have said it's a bleak picture but starvation and death are bleak subjects and there's no getting away from that."

Damien now plans to sell limited edition of his rejected work in order to raise money for Sudan."

Good. No doubt they will sell like hot cakes - his original cover design would have sold well too. I was looking forward to seeing his design. They should have let it go ahead. But, on second thoughts, maybe not. The Disney style cover is perhaps more inviting to the masses. Parents would probably not buy Damien's cover for their children's Christmas stocking even though it would have become a collectors item.

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