David Shrigley, Black Cats Everywhere, 2021

Black Cats Everywhere (2021) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

Black Cats Everywhere (2021) is a striking David Shrigley screenprint that deploys a repetitive, graphic motif of stylised black cats set against a flat, pale green background. The uniform yet chaotic arrangement of the feline silhouettes, each punctuated by piercing yellow eyes, creates an immediate visual rhythm across the composition. Through this deceptively simple arrangement, the artist transforms a familiar domestic subject into an overwhelming, hypnotic pattern.

By crowding the frame with identical, staring animals, the composition directly channels a sense of comic absurdity and mild paranoia. The flat application of black ink contrasted against the pastel backdrop strips the subjects of their depth, rendering them as symbolic icons rather than living creatures. This deliberate simplification highlights the unique ability of the artist to extract profound existential humour from the repetition of everyday imagery.

David Shrigley

Highly regarded for his biting wit and deceptively crude drawing style, the Turner Prize nominee has secured an enduring position within contemporary British art. From his celebrated Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square to his election as a Royal Academician, his multidisciplinary practice consistently challenges artistic conventions. Today, his works are held in premier public collections worldwide, including Tate and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The transition from rapid, ink-on-paper drawings to high-quality graphic editions allows his dry observations to reach a broader audience. Every David Shrigley print retains the urgent, spontaneous quality of his original sketches, preserved through meticulous production techniques. This balance of casual draughtsmanship and formal presentation remains a defining characteristic of his sought-after graphic oeuvre.

Screenprint Process

Utilising heavy Somerset Tub Sized 410gsm paper, this work showcases the exceptional tactile quality inherent to traditional flatbed printing methods. The application of rich, opaque black ink alongside the vibrant background tones achieves a velvety, matte finish that is highly characteristic of the medium. Such premium materials ensure the intense saturation of the pigments, giving the graphic elements a remarkable physical presence.

The screenprinting technique is uniquely suited to capturing the sharp borders and solid colour fields of the artist's original vision. Published by Jealous Gallery, this David Shrigley limited edition print reflects the collaborative precision of master printers who translate spontaneous line work into crisp, archival multiples. This careful replication of the artist's hand ensures that the graphic energy of the piece is fully preserved.

Collectability

Feline subjects hold a particularly revered status within the artist's iconographic lexicon, consistently generating intense demand from international collectors. This particular motif exemplifies his celebrated use of animal imagery to comment on human behaviour, making it instantly recognisable. As a result, works featuring these graphic creatures are frequently prioritised by those looking to acquire representative examples of his contemporary output.

Representing a highly sought-after animal motif from his prolific 2021 printmaking period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of his graphic practice. With an edition size of just 125, the release has experienced strong secondary-market presence and continued collector interest. The combination of a restricted print run and the universal appeal of its subject makes Black Cats Everywhere an enduringly popular acquisition.