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Verity by Damien Hirst

Verity is a 2012 stainless steel and bronze statue by Damien Hirst. Installed on the pier at the entrance to the harbour in Ilfracombe, Devon, it looks out over the Bristol Channel towards South Wales. The sculpture is on loan to the town for 20 years from its erection on 16 October 2012. It depicts a pregnant woman holding a sword and the scales of justice while standing on a pile of law books. One half shows the internal anatomy of the woman, with the foetus visible. Hirst describes the work as a modern allegory of truth and justice.

Verity, a dark bronze statue, stands on a stone pier and raises a sword toward the sky.
Verity stands on a stone pier beside the water, with a grassy hill and cloudy sky behind it.
August 2014 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Verity statue stands beside Ilfracombe pier with water, a grassy hillside, and a cloudy sky in the background.
Verity beside Ilfracombe pier on a coastal hillside under a cloudy sky.
August 2013 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Verity sculpture seen from behind, holding a raised sword and scales against a blue sky.
Verity, a bronze sculpture of a woman with a sword and scales, stands near the cliff edge.
June 2013 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Verity, a bronze sculpture of a pregnant woman holding a sword aloft against a cloudy sky.
Verity by Damien Hirst shown from below, with the figure’s sword raised against the sky.
May 2019 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Verity sculpture seen from behind against a blue sky, framed by sailboat rigging and a lamppost.
Verity viewed from behind, with sailboat rigging and a lamppost in the foreground.
November 2014 © · CC BY-SA 2.0

Identification

TitleVerity

Creator

ArtistDamien Hirst

Historical context

Size statusbecame the tallest statue in Great Britain when installed; now surpassed by The Kelpies near Falkirk, Scotland
Height comparison25 cm higher than the Angel of the North
Year created2012

Physical characteristics

Heightmore than 20 meters
Weight25 tons
Typebronze statue

Materials

Materialsstainless steel and bronze
Sword materialfibreglass

Technique

Castingcast in 40 separate sections

Location and ownership

Orientationlooking out over the Bristol Channel towards South Wales
Locationpier at the entrance to the harbour in Ilfracombe, Devon, England
CountryEngland, United Kingdom
Loan statusloaned to the town for 20 years
Loan start date16 October 2012
Loaned byDamien Hirst

Appearance

Depictsa pregnant woman
Attributes depictedholding aloft a sword, carrying the scales of justice, and standing on a pile of law books
Internal depictionhalf of the sculpture shows the internal anatomy of the pregnant woman, with the fetus visible; her organs, including the uterus, are visible on the right side

Iconography and meaning

Artist descriptiona modern allegory of truth and justice
Stylistic referencethe stance has been described as a reference to Little Dancer of Fourteen Years by Edgar Degas
Stylistic comparisonsimilar to the Body Worlds exhibits of Gunther von Hagens
Name meaningtruth

Other

Related workVirgin Mother, another massive sculpture of a pregnant woman with her fetus exposed

History and restoration

Date installed19 October 2012

Significance

Controversycontroversial nature of the statue
Tourism impactNorth Devon Council members described it as a potential boost to tourism and said it had a tremendous effect, with people visiting the town solely to see Hirst's work