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Thread: Bikes: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

  1. #1

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    Default Bikes: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    From Sutton, Surrey, (or Greater London when they want to fleece me for the Olympics)

  2. #2
    *live*&*let*live
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    So they look pretty and 'catch the light like real butterflies do'
    nasty callous idiot, but same goes to Trek for comissioning it!

  3. #3

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    And to Lance Armstrong for riding it

    I feel quite sick now. What a bunch of w@nk€rz

    ETA: I'm writing an angry email as we speak - I'll post it when it's done

  4. #4
    RebeccaDye
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Modified rapture! How can this even be called art?

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Quote fiamma View Post
    And to Lance Armstrong for riding it

    I feel quite sick now. What a bunch of w@nk€rz

    ETA: I'm writing an angry email as we speak - I'll post it when it's done
    Shit must have missed that bit!

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    This is what I have written and sent, and hope some of you will do the same

    Dear Trek,

    I am writing to express my disgust and dismay at the Trek Madone bike designed by Damien Hirst for Lance Armstrong; I find it appalling that in this day and age, with all the materials we have to hand, that Damien Hirst should feel the need to kill living things in order to create his artwork.
    I applaud your support of an incredible sportsman such as Lance Armstrong, who has fought so many battles and shown amazing strength in the face of the most incredible odds; indeed it is this very fact that perplexes me at your involvement in this so-called art; you claim you are “committed to changing lives through cycling”, therefore I am very surprised that a company promoting health and life - as you do - should choose to spearhead a project involving the senseless killing and death of beautiful living things.
    I shall certainly be letting all those close to me know of this cruel "art" you have chosen to promote, and will certainly be avoiding your products in future, as well as urging my friends and relatives to do the same.

    Yours sincerely,

    etc. etc.

  7. #7
    *live*&*let*live
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Nice one Fi I will email 'em too.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    I don't understand whether the butterflies were already dead or whether they were killed for this.
    "cake is a good tool for the revolution!!!" - saycheezly

  9. #9

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Quote matt35mm View Post
    I don't understand whether the butterflies were already dead or whether they were killed for this.
    Well, unless there's some butterfly retirement home somewhere that specialises is exotic, colourful species and he has waited patiently for them to shuffle off this mortal coil......I think we can draw our own conclusions.
    From Sutton, Surrey, (or Greater London when they want to fleece me for the Olympics)

  10. #10

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    I don't think the question of whether they were alive or dead is relevant here... I simply refuse to believe that with all the materials and all the technology we have available, that no-one in the whole wide world could make Damien Hirst the synthetic butterflies he would have needed.

    But that's not what Hirst wants - this is just another sick example of what he chooses to consider and foist on us as "art". And it completely blows my mind to think that a respected bicycle manufacturing company, one that promotes health and life, would even choose to be associated with something like this... I just can't get my head around it.

    Have you read the list of Hirst's "works" on Wikipedia? (Warning: may be upsetting for some). Just looking at the man's picture on the page is a little unsettling...

    I have to say this news has astounded me more than any I've read in a long time.

  11. #11

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    This was being discussed on the LBC phone -in just now. They had someone from PETA commenting, very articulately I have to say.
    From Sutton, Surrey, (or Greater London when they want to fleece me for the Olympics)

  12. #12
    snaffler's Avatar
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    This saddens me as a long time user of TREK bikes as well, I am going to write them a strongly worded letter. What a stupid idiotic stunt to allow an asshole like Demented Hirst do a so called art work for your company.
    Go confidently in the direction of your dreams

  13. #13

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Is 'idiotic stunt' rhyming slang?
    From Sutton, Surrey, (or Greater London when they want to fleece me for the Olympics)

  14. #14

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    ^ LoL

  15. #15

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Quote RebeccaDye View Post
    Modified rapture! How can this even be called art?
    Maybe Mr Armstrong will have some unscheduled top tube interaction and have a 'modified rupture'.
    From Sutton, Surrey, (or Greater London when they want to fleece me for the Olympics)

  16. #16
    *live*&*let*live
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Pickled shark artist Damien Hirst has come under fire for plastering a bicycle with hundred of dead butterflies in his latest creation.
    Hirst, who first made his name in 1992 by suspending a shark in formaldehyde, was today accused of 'horrific barbarity' over the bike.
    Champion cyclist Lance Armstrong - a testicular cancer survivor - will ride the butterfly bicycle on Sunday in the last leg of the Tour de France in Paris.


    'Barbaric': The bicycle decorated with dead butterflies by Damien Hirst, which will be ridden by Lance Armstrong at the Tour de France finale

    But animal rights campaigners today said the use of dead butterflies 'ruined the very essence of this man's spirit'.



    Hirst's assistants removed the wings of several species of butterfly - believed to include the Blue Morpho and the yellow-and-black Buttercup - and glued them to the bike.
    The artist's company would not say where the insects came from. He has had them bred specially for previous projects - including a stained-glass-style window made from butterfly wings.



    'This is barbaric and horrific,' said Sam Glover of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta).
    'Lance Armstrong is all about life - about not dying and about overcoming adversity.
    'Damien Hirst is a one-trick pony who ruins the very essence of this man's spirit by associating him with dead butterflies.







    Cycle of life and death: Damien Hirst says he is proud to have created the bike for Lance Armstrong, right


    'Butterflies are beautiful creatures who should be enjoyed in the wild, not encased in a bike.'
    After the race, the bicycle goes on display at galleries in Paris and New York before being auctioned in October to raise as much as £1million for Armstrong's cancer charity, Livestrong.
    The bike is one of six designed by different artists that Armstrong has ridden in this year's tour.
    Hirst said he had been approached by U2 singer Bono to make the bicycle, and chose to use real butterflies because of the way their iridescent wings catch the light.
    'The technical problems were immense, as I wanted to use real butterflies and not just pictures of butterflies, because I wanted it to shimmer when the light catches it like only real butterflies do, and we were trying not to add any extra weight to the bike.
    Armstrong 'loves it', the artist added.
    'Lance is an inspiration to many people on many levels,' he said. 'Bono first approached me about the bike and described Lance to me as "the greatest sportsman the world has ever known after Ali".
    'It was a great opportunity to work with someone I admire and create the bike - something I've never done before.'
    Please see bold print text that I have outlined. I think this will clear up any doubt that anyone has with regards to where these beautiful insects came from. NO COMMENT - speaks volumes.....

  17. #17

    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    I am incredibly appalled. I ride a Trek when I race, and I'm certainly going to look elsewhere for my next bike after this. I will let Trek know they've lost a paying, riding customer.
    context is everything

  18. #18

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    It's also woth remembering that the bike will be auctioned to fund animal experiments, something else that they keep schtum about.
    From Sutton, Surrey, (or Greater London when they want to fleece me for the Olympics)

  19. #19
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Quote Jiffy View Post
    Maybe Mr Armstrong will have some unscheduled top tube interaction and have a 'modified rupture'.



    That bike is quite disturbing, they could have just painted butterflies!

  20. #20
    Honest_Goodbye's Avatar
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Horrible

  21. #21
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    Quote xrodolfox View Post
    I am incredibly appalled. I ride a Trek when I race, and I'm certainly going to look elsewhere for my next bike after this. I will let Trek know they've lost a paying, riding customer.
    Saw your pic xrod and I was going to pm you about this thread. Good to know you saw it for yourself! :smile:

    Quote Jiffy View Post
    It's also woth remembering that the bike will be auctioned to fund animal experiments, something else that they keep schtum about.
    Really? OMG, how do you know that?

    Quote Johnstuff View Post


    That bike is quite disturbing, they could have just painted butterflies!
    Oh, but they didn't want that, they wanted the beauty of the real butterfly......(sarcasm not aimed at you but Trek/Damien)

  22. #22
    Enchantress's Avatar
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    I assume Jiffy was referring to the fact that LiveStrong (Lance Armstrong's charity) fund animal testing.

    http://hugoschwyzer.net/2007/05/15/live-strong-day/

  23. #23
    *live*&*let*live
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Oh right yeah, know that bit, thought it was a Trek thing!

  24. #24

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Quote Enchantress View Post
    I assume Jiffy was referring to the fact that LiveStrong (Lance Armstrong's charity) fund animal testing.

    http://hugoschwyzer.net/2007/05/15/live-strong-day/
    Indeedy, though according to them they have 'only' commisioned experiments on mice.....that's OK then
    From Sutton, Surrey, (or Greater London when they want to fleece me for the Olympics)

  25. #25

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    I got this superficial brush-off in reply to my email:

    Hey Fiona,

    Thanks for the email. I can't be for certain but I don't think any
    animals were damaged in the production of the Hirst bike, sorry if you
    are offended. Thanks and have a great day.

    Ride on,

    Eric Keen

    Don't know whether to laugh or cry...

  26. #26
    RebeccaDye
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Maybe Mr Armstrong will have some unscheduled top tube interaction and have a 'modified rupture'.
    Hahaha

  27. #27
    *live*&*let*live
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Quote fiamma View Post
    I got this superficial brush-off in reply to my email:

    Hey Fiona,

    Thanks for the email. I can't be for certain but I don't think any
    animals were damaged in the production of the Hirst bike, sorry if you
    are offended. Thanks and have a great day.

    Ride on,

    Eric Keen

    Don't know whether to laugh or cry...

    JOG ON more like! You should reply and say I will ride on but not on one of your bikes. And what's with the 'I can't be certain' well then he should bloody well check before he emails you back then shouldn't he? Grrrr

  28. #28

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Just sent my reply.

    Dear Mr Keen,

    Thank you for your email.

    Since you seem unaware of how the butterflies for the Trek Madone Bike were sourced, let me provide you with some information in that regard.
    Hirst's assistants removed the wings of several species of butterfly - believed to include the Blue Morpho and the yellow-and-black Buttercup - and glued them to the bike.
    The artist's company refuse to disclose where the insects came from; however Hirst has had them bred specially for previous projects,
    including a stained-glass-style window made from butterfly wings.

    You may also be unaware that after the race, the bicycle will go on display at galleries in Paris and New York before being auctioned in October
    to raise as much as £1million for Lance Armstrong's cancer charity, Livestrong, a charity whose research involves animal testing.

    I therefore applaud you in contributing to animal suffering on not one but two counts.

    May I also add that those I have spoken to have been similarly outraged by the outcome of your collaboration with Damien Hirst;
    one man in particular is a keen cyclist and used to be a staunch supporter of your products but has told me he will be looking elsewhere for his bikes in future.

    Best regards,

    etc. etc.

  29. #29
    *live*&*let*live
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    That is excellent Fi! I was only joking btw when I said to reply with 'jog on' and you would use a different bike to 'ride on'!

  30. #30

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Chapeau Fi ! ( I thought a cycling term appropriate in the circumstances )

    He's been told and no mistake! Maybe he won't be so 'Keen' to send out dismissive, patronising emails in future.
    From Sutton, Surrey, (or Greater London when they want to fleece me for the Olympics)

  31. #31

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Your suggestion was great L≪ unfortunately I forgot to include it, such was my outrage.

    Good old Mr Keen - how "keen" is he feeling now I wonder? (I'm sure he doesn't give a dam actually, but I certainly feel better )

  32. #32
    CATWOMAN sandra's Avatar
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    I feel sick and saddened at the thought of all those beautiful butterflies used in this way.

    As far as the reply to Fiamma's email goes...........the man doesn't even make sense........what does 'I can't be for certain' mean? His grammar is appalling!
    I like Sandra, she keeps making me giggle. Daft little lady - Frosty

  33. #33

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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    I feel the same way Sandra; why anyone would feel it's OK to stick dead butterflies on a bike is beyond me

    Quote sandra View Post
    what does 'I can't be for certain' mean? His grammar is appalling!
    I was going to raise that point myself

  34. #34
    *live*&*let*live
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    Default Re: Damian Hirst's latest atrocity

    Me too! So I everyone has noticed it I wonder why they don't proof read the mails? It smacks of unprofessionalism to me. But then what woul d i nokw?

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