‘Dear Mother’ is a large-scale, green neon work that showcases David Shrigley’s caustic sense of humour. Rendered in his distinctive handwriting, the artist’s neons convey nonsensical messages that deliberately undermine their own authority as signs or advertisements.

Shrigley’s neon plays on the very conceptual basis of a sign. To have any function, a sign must conform to assumptions and convey a clear message. Though authoritative in form, Shrigley’s neon is impractical as a sign. In co-opting the format of street signs or advertisements and replacing the typically informative text with amusing, deadpan statements, Shrigley’s neons contradict their own presumed credibility. At once playful and mischievous, these neons are described by the artist as ‘interventional signage’.

Shrigley is best known for his distinctive drawing style and works that make satirical comments on everyday situations and human interactions. His quick-witted drawings and hand-rendered texts are typically deadpan in their humour and explore the absurdities of everyday life. The comical writing in ‘Dear Mother’ takes a central feature of Shrigley’s practice and presents it into a vibrant, new medium.