Smithsonian

Simon Schama on The Beast in Contemporary Art

 If all figurative art approaches taxidermy in its crafty fixing of vitality, British contemporary artists have taken on board the conceit with striking compulsiveness. From Damien Hirst's sharks and sheep to Mark Wallinger's pedigree racehorses, sleekness and slaughter seem to be their thing. So what are they getting at and why should we care? Simon Schama, professor of art history and history at Columbia University, offers some clues