The Twist belongs to the suite of 14 prints "In A Spin/The Action of The World on Things II". This work is the result of some of Hirst's earliest experimentations with spin art, made in 1992 at his studio in Brixton, London. The series began in earnest in 1994, when Hirst had a spin machine made whilst living in Berlin. A series of his machine-made spin drawings were subsequently exhibited at Bruno Brunnet Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin, later that year.

“I really like making them. And I really like the machine, and I really like the movement. Every time they’re finished, I’m desperate to do another one.”

DAMIEN HIRST

Whilst the chance spontaneity of the spin paintings stands in stark contrast to the formulaic spot series, both explore the idea of an imaginary mechanical painter. The results of the spins are controlled purely by the artist’s colour choices and the motion of the machine.