Damien Hirst's Brit Trophies Ready For Big Night

Damien Hirst's Brit Trophies Ready For Big Night
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Damien Hirst's Brit Award trophies have been delivered to ceremony bosses ahead of tonight's glitzy show.

The artist is the latest designer to put his personal stamp on the prize figurines, which will be handed over to the winners at the O2 Arena in London.

Security guards accompanied the consignment when it arrived at the venue today, as Hirst's golden touch has made the trophies a valuable commodity. His works can go for millions of pounds.

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Previous designers of the trophy have been Dame Vivienne Westwood and Sir Peter Blake. Hirst's version has the Britannia figure covered with a multicoloured spot design, similar to many of his canvases.

Organisers paraded the figures on the O2 stage as the crew worked to get the scenery in place .

The Brit Awards are being hosted by James Corden tomorrow night and will be broadcast by ITV. Artists including Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift and Mumford & Sons have been rehearsing their performances.

11 Things You Didn't Know About Damien Hirst
(01 of11)
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Hirst grew up in Bristol with his mother who took a hard line with her rebellious son, cutting up his trousers and melting his Sex Pistols vinyl records on the cooker.
(02 of11)
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In 1992 his The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living became the most notable nomination of the Turner Prize, though it didn't actually win. The shark encased in formaldehyde became one of the most iconic pieces of the 1990s. PICTURE: PA
(03 of11)
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As a student, Hirst had a placement in a mortuary, an experience that clearly influenced his later work. PICTURE: PA
(04 of11)
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In 1994 Hirst's piece, Away from the Flock, that features a sheep in formaldehyde, was vandalised by another artist, one Mark Bridger, who poured black ink into the tank, and retitled the work Black Sheep. He was subsequently prosecuted, at Hirst's wish, and was given two years' probation.PICTURE: PA
(05 of11)
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In 1995 Hirst won the Turner Prize for his cow and calf in formaldehyde. PICTURE: PA
(06 of11)
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Hirst wanted to use rotting cattle in an exhibition in New York, but was banned by the city's health authorities because of fears of "vomiting among the visitors".PICTURE: PA
(07 of11)
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In 2000 Hirst was commissioned to paint a mini in the style of one of his famous 'spot paintings', to be auctioned at the Serpentine Gallery's 30th Anniversary in London. PICTURE: PA
(08 of11)
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Hirst's 2001 work, Painting-By-Numbers was a do-it-yourself kit designed to make one of his 'spot paintings' - but part of the exhibition was binned by a gallery cleaner who mistook it for trash.PICTURE: PA
(09 of11)
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In his 2007 exhibition at the White Cube gallery in London, Hirst displayed For the Love of God, a human skull recreated in platinum. It was covered with 8,601 diamonds, worth about £15,000,000. The work didn't sell outright but to a consortium that included Hirst - maybe people were put off by the £50,000,000 asking price. PICTURE: PA
(10 of11)
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In September 2008 Hirst became the first living artist to sell a complete show, Beautiful Inside My Head Forever, by action at Sotheby's. It broke the record for a one-artist auction, raising £111 million.PICTURE: PA
(11 of11)
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With a wealth valued at £215m in the 2010 Sunday Times Rich List, Hirst is reported to be Britain's wealthiest artist.PICTURE: PA