David Shrigley's Humorous Art
David Shrigley’s whimsical compositions steal the hearts of collectors and curators worldwide. Straight-forward, confident, and deadpan in his delivery, the artist’s humorous statements complement childlike drawings, resembling moments from conversations overheard. One wonders where Shrigley may have been when struck with inspiration for I’m Sorry for Being Awful? Perhaps it’s a phrase used to manage his own relationships, or simply a string of words eavesdropped while roaming around his hometown of Brighton, England.
I’m Sorry for Being Awful visualizes a regretful feeling experienced by us all from time to time, with a follow-up question of how to make things better. The serigraph’s honest engagement with a relatable emotion contrasts with Shrigley’s naïve rendering of a hot pink cartoon hand and larger-than-life red rose. The composition is empathetic, silly, observant, preposterous, quick-witted, et cetera—we just can’t help but laugh.
David Shrigley (b. 1968) is a British artist renowned for his printmaking, illustration, sculpture, and digital animations. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at industry-leading galleries in New York, Tokyo, London, Auckland, and Berlin. Additionally, Shrigley’s large-scale sculpture Really Good was on public display in London’s Trafalgar Square from 2016 to 2018. The artist’s work belongs to prominent public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), Art Institute of Chicago, Museum Ludwig (Cologne), and Tate Modern (London), among others.
