David Shrigley

Galleri Nicolai Wallner, Copenhagen

Acquired from the above by the present owner

• A quintessential example of the artist’s characteristic drawing style and absurdist wit.
• Executed in 2013, a highly productive period for Shrigley’s output.
• Features the artist’s signature ability to capture everyday situations with a blend of sharp humour, irony, and satire.

The present work, Untitled (I Really Don’t Mind What Happens), immediately captures the viewer with its characteristically ironic approach. Executed in ink and marker on paper, the composition features a spider dangling directly over a human figure who is supine and apparently oblivious to the imminent threat. The stark black outlines and intentionally crude execution concentrate all attention on the central narrative, which is immediately undercut by the hand-lettered title, encapsulating a sardonic resignation to fate.

This drawing is a quintessential example of Shrigley’s known style and technique. Celebrated globally for his distinctive cartoon-style drawings combined with handwritten text. The raw, diaristic quality of the drawing, achieved through the fast-paced application of simple mediums, is the vehicle for the artist’s signature humor. He uses the seemingly mundane or infantile sketch to address profound human themes like dread, anxiety, and the passive acceptance of the absurdities of modern life. The humor is derived precisely from the disparity between the triviality of the image and the deep, often dark, cynicism of the text.

Shrigley’s influential status has been cemented by major institutional presentations worldwide. A key moment in his career was the major retrospective David Shrigley: Life and Life Drawing at the Hayward Gallery, London in 2012, followed by David Shrigley: Really Good at the Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Square in 2016. Furthermore, he presented the solo exhibition David Shrigley: Exhibition at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam in 2013, confirming his global institutional relevance. He is currently on view in a solo exhibition at Stephen Friedman Gallery in London until 20 December.