Editorial / Artists

Five Things You Should Know About | David Shrigley

9 Nov 2020

1. David Shrigley was nominated for the prestigious Turner Prize in 2013, following his major mid-career retrospective 'Brain Activity' at the Hayward Gallery, London. The artist currently has an on-going presentation in the Gallery at Sketch, London as part of a long-term programme of artist-conceived restaurants.

Shrigley poses in front of his works at the Sketch's gallery restaurant

Photographed by Anna Huix

“Everybody already knows how to draw like David Shrigley - just pretend you never went to art school.”

David Shrigley after being asked if he would consider teaching art

David Shrigley at Frieze Fair, 2018

Courtesy of the Evening Standard

2. While drawing is at the centre of his practice, Shrigley works across an extensive range of media including sculpture, large-scale installation, animation, painting and photography. Shrigley is also known to operate beyond the fine art sphere, collaborating with brands and taking part in music projects. He is also a published author and has even written a 'self-help' book titled 'How Are You Feeling?'.

Detail of David Shrigley's hand-painted 'Shits'

3. In September 2016, his monumental sculpture 'Really Good' was unveiled in Trafalgar Square, London for the Fourth Plinth Commission. Shrigley created a bronze sculpture of an elongated thumbs-up, in the hope of "making the world a better place" which he continued: "is obviously a ridiculous proposition, but I think it’s a good proposition”. The nearly 23-foot-tall sculpture - the tallest ever for Fourth Plinth - was dramatically revealed, with crowds counting down to the moment that the black cloth covering it was finally removed.

"I have jokingly said when I've spoken to journalists about it recently that it means whatever you want it to mean, [...] everything except an endorsement of Brexit, or right-wing political ideas."

David Shrigley on his 'Really Good' sculpture

David Shrigley's 'Really Good' sculpture, after its unveiling in Trafalgar Square, London, 2016

Courtesy of Getty Images

4. The artist has received an OBE (The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire), an official British honour presented by the Queen, for his contributions and accomplishments in the Visual Arts sector. His OBE ceremony was actually scheduled for the Spring of 2020 but was postponed amid the spread of Coronavirus.

5. When he first left art school, realising as he sat in his shared flat, that he could say what he whatever he wanted on a sheet of paper, the artist made a book out of Xerox paper and sold it at the pub for £3.50. We certainly hope we could have gotten our hands on a copy!