Hirst first experimented with spin art in 1992 at his studio in Brixton, London. The following year, he set up a spin art stall with fellow artist Angus Fairhurst at Joshua Compston’s artist led street fair, ‘A Féte Worse than Death’. The spin paintings are characterised by the works’ elongated titles, which begin with ‘Beautiful’ and end in ‘painting’, and their bright colours. 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. "Spinning Stars" is one of the 16 motifs of the portfolio "In a spin, the action of the world on things, Volume II" published in 2002 by The Paragon Press, London.
“ 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. „