A huge Damien Hirst sculpture has been unveiled on the banks of the Thames.

The 60ft Demon with Bowl is his sixth work to be installed on the Greenwich Peninsula, making the riverside one of the best places to see his art. Hirst made his name with a series of provocative works featuring dead animals preserved in formaldehyde including a 14ft-long shark.

Demon with Bowl takes its place on a public art trail best viewed from an elevated linear park called the Tide.

He said: “It’s uplifting to see this work come home to the UK where it was made, to Greenwich Peninsula. It’s a place that has strong resonance for me: I lived here in the late Eighties when it was a wasteland. I’d collect things that were washed up.

“That process later led to my series, Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable, which is where Demon with Bowl and my other peninsula artworks come from. I’m so happy to play a small role in helping this part of London as it becomes a huge cultural hub — it’s been amazing to see how it’s transformed over the years.

The sculpture is lowered into position

“London needs more spaces for creativity and people should be able to enjoy art in all its forms for free so it’s great to see investment like this that helps in the democratisation of art.”