Artist Spotlight: David Shrigley

yartlondon
Sep 16, 2025
2 min read

"I like to make things that are a bit stupid. But stupid in a good way."

David Shrigley (b. 1968) has carved out a unique place in the contemporary art world with his unmistakable mix of wit, absurdity, and sharp observation. His work spanning drawing, sculpture, film, and beyond, takes the ordinary and puts it through a lens of deadpan humour.

Shrigley emerged from the Glasgow School of Art in the early 1990s with a style that looked defiantly childlike, in contrast to the polished aesthetics of the era. His bold lettering, and quirky proportions became part of his signature, not as a lack of skill but as a deliberate artistic pretension. In this way, Shrigley redefined what drawing could be: less about technical mastery, more about immediacy, honesty, and the absurdity of human existence.

Beyond the gallery, Shrigley has become intertwined in popular culture from directing Blur’s music video Good Song, to weekly cartoons for The Guardian, to collaborations in music and publishing. His work is now held in major international collections including Tate, MoMA, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Now based in Brighton, Shrigley continues to expand his practice while staying true to the offbeat sensibility that made him a cult figure. Irreverent, insightful, and endlessly prolific, his work is a reminder that art doesn’t always need to be serious to be deeply meaningful.

Available to purchase from Clifton Gallery

I Can Sing For You

Details: Acrylic paint on paper 2025 76 x 56 cm Hand signed and numbered on the reverse by David Shrigley From a series of 30 unique paintings

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Distractions

Details: Colour linocut on Somerset 300gsm paper 2022 Edition of 100 52 x 38 cm Hand signed, dated and numbered by David Shrigley Published by Schafer Grafik Framed

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Balance The Ball On Your Nose

Details: 10 colour screenprint with varnish overlay on Somerset Tub Sized 410 gsm paper 2022 76 x 56 cm Edition of 125 Hand signed and numbered by David Shrigley Mint condition