The Art Newspaper

Viktor Pinchuk, the Ukrainian billionaire art collector, has emerged as a stakeholder in Damien Hirst’s diamond-encrusted skull, For the Love of God. Pinchuk, who is currently hosting a massive display of Hirst’s work at his Kiev gallery, was referred to as a part-owner of the skull in The Washington Post. The majority stake is jointly owned by Hirst, his business manager Frank Dunphy and Jay Jopling of White Cube (2.1/E5). Last year Hirst told the French newspaper Le Monde that if the skull did not sell privately, it would be offered at auction. For the Love of God was first unveiled at White Cube in June 2007 with an asking price of £50m. An offer from dealer Alberto Mugrabi, believed to be around £35m, was rejected. The skull was shown at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam last autumn but a proposed global tour with stops at the Hermitage in St Petersburg, the British Museum in London and venues in the Far East, has been cancelled. Mr Pinchuk did not return emails or phone calls requesting a comment.

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