David Shrigley - The World

David Shrigley’s The World (2020) is a bold screenprint in colors on wove paper with a varnish overlay, measuring 75 x 56 cm. This limited edition of 125 prints is hand-signed and numbered by the artist. The artwork depicts a basketball as a metaphor for life’s unpredictability, with Shrigley’s handwritten text declaring “Hard to predict what it will do.” Combining humor with existential reflection, this signed screenprint exemplifies Shrigley’s unique approach to contemporary art.

David Shrigley is a British artist celebrated for his distinctive and deceptively simple artistic style, coupled with a sharp, incisive sense of humor. Born in 1968 in Macclesfield, England, his multifaceted artistic practice encompasses drawing, painting, sculpture, animated film, and print, all unified by an intentionally crude graphic style that cleverly reflects on the absurdities of the human condition. Shrigley’s art engages with a directness that simplifies the complexity of modern life, making his artwork both accessible and profoundly insightful. His unique approach draws on elements of Pop Art, yet diverges by emphasizing the peculiarities and ironies of everyday existence rather than focusing on consumer culture. Known particularly for his drawings and paintings, David Shrigley employs a deliberately naive and raw aesthetic. These artworks often incorporate text, adding layers of ironic or deadpan commentary that underscore the visual humor or surprise within the imagery, making him a notable figure in contemporary text-based art. His fine art prints and other limited editions further showcase his ability to distill complex cultural critiques into engaging visual and textual forms, appealing to a wide audience beyond traditional art circles. These editions are especially sought after for their witty encapsulation of Shrigley’s artistic voice. In addition to his two-dimensional work, Shrigley's three-dimensional artworks and public installations bring his peculiar narratives and characters into the physical world, expanding the scope of his artistic commentary. His seamless blending of visual and textual elements positions him uniquely in the contemporary art scene, resonating with both art critics and the general public. David Shrigley’s art not only entertains but also provokes reflection on the quirks of contemporary life, illustrating his pivotal role in the realm of modern art. Nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013, Shrigley's artwork has been shown by major museums worldwide, including K Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul (2021), Museo De Arte Contemporaneo, Santiago de Chile (2016), Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich (2014), and the Hayward Gallery in London (2012).