Damien Hirst Invited to Join Royal Academy

LONDON—Damien Hirst, the British enfant terrible who once called the Royal Academy of Arts “a big, fat, stuffy old pompous institution” has been invited to join its ranks as a governing Royal Academician, according to the Times of London.

Hirst has until October to decide whether to accept the offer. One source suggested that the controversy-courting artist may not believe this is the right time.