Damien Hirst, the most controversial and highest paid art man, can juggle multiple tasks. Take for example, while prepping for his first major retrospective in his native Britain, he was also hitting back at curator and critic Julian Spalding, who via his short book "Con Art" called him a conman and urged owners of Hirst's work to sell while they can.
Spalding questioned whether Hirst, known for his shark suspended in formaldehyde, a diamond-encrusted skull, spot paintings and medicine cabinets, was an artist at all and described his works, which fetch millions at auction, as "worthless financially".
Hirst, speaking on Monday to a small group of journalists at the Tate Modern gallery overlooking the river Thames, was clearly used to such jibes and brushed Spalding's criticism aside with a grin.
