David Shrigley (born 1968 in Macclesfield, England) is a British contemporary artist whose work spans drawing, printmaking, sculpture, animation, and installation, unified by a distinctive blend of deadpan humor and incisive social commentary. Educated at the Glasgow School of Art, Shrigley emerged in the 1990s with a visual language that deliberately embraces simplicity, using crude line drawings and blunt text to confront existential uncertainty, social conventions, and the quiet absurdities of everyday life.
Though his artworks often appear deceptively straightforward, Shrigley's art is layered with wit, irony, and philosophical reflection, encouraging viewers to question assumptions about meaning, morality, and human behavior. His signed limited edition prints and drawings, in particular, have become highly recognizable, balancing accessibility with a sharp conceptual edge that resonates across a wide audience.
Beyond works on paper, Shrigley has produced sculptures, public installations, music, and animated films, demonstrating a practice that consistently resists categorization. His public artwork Really Good (2016), installed on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth, exemplifies his ability to use humor as a vehicle for collective reflection, presenting a giant thumbs-up that oscillates between optimism and ambiguity.
Nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013, David Shrigley occupies a central position in contemporary art, bridging the gap between the popular and the critical. His works on paper and fine art prints invite laughter, discomfort, and contemplation in equal measure, making his editions enduring reflections on modern life, communication, and the human condition.
