Damian Hirst

 Damien Hirst curated the widely acclaimed Frieze Art Fair in 1988 while he was still a student at Goldsmiths College, and he not only launched his meteoric career but also the careers of many other successful up-and-comers in the British art scene.

He's probably the most famous living British artist, give or take a David Hockney or two; we greatly admire the way this designer went maverick on the whole notion of art and decoration.

His works, like the iconic Away from the Flock (1994, see below) or the $118 million For the Love of God (2007, see the diamond-encrusted skull above), break new ground by forcing us to see art and traditional installation pieces in fresh ways.