Damien Hirst responds to press reports of a leak in one of his formaldehyde works

Sadly, nothing in life lasts for ever, not even art objects . Our houses fall down eventually; all we can hope for is that, with lots of help, care, love, understanding and hard work, we can make the things that we value last a very long time. When it comes to my work, lots of people think that I use formaldehyde to preserve an artwork for posterity, when in reality I use it to communicate an idea.

So relax, everybody, and enjoy art for what it is, worry not about what it isn't, have no fear of artworks decaying and relish the thought that "where there's a will there's a way" and, with imagination and a little care, we can try against all odds to make everything in life that we cherish, including art, last for ever, even though we know it's impossible. That's what life's all about. As David Hockney once said to me: "It's funny how people worry about paintings fading, when artists' careers can fade even faster.from Guardian Unlimited.

I enjoy this explanation. And you?