David Shrigley, I Cannot Change My Spots But I Have No Desire To Change My Spots, 2022

I Cannot Change My Spots But I Have No Desire To Change My Spots (2022) – David Shrigley Sculpture

About the Work

I Cannot Change My Spots But I Have No Desire To Change My Spots (2022) is an arresting ceramic sculpture by David Shrigley that transforms a classic idiom into a three-dimensional canine form. Cast in smooth white ceramic, the companionable figure is covered in irregular, hand-painted black spots and features the titular text emblazoned in the artist's signature handwriting across its side. The stark contrast of the black glaze against the glossy white surface emphasises the graphic quality of the piece, turning a familiar domestic ornament into a medium for philosophical enquiry.

By literalising the proverb of the unchangeable leopard through a companionable dog, the work operates in a register of pure absurdity. The animal stands with a deadpan expression, presenting a comical yet resolute resistance to societal pressures of self-improvement. This defiant declaration serves as a poignant commentary laced with dry humour on human vulnerability, suggesting that our refusal to conform to external expectations is perhaps our most endearing trait.

David Shrigley

As a Turner Prize nominee and the mind behind the celebrated Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square, David Shrigley has secured a pivotal position in contemporary British art. His work is held in prestigious international public collections, including the Tate in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Regularly featured in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, his output continues to challenge the boundaries between high art and popular culture.

This three-dimensional output represents a physical manifestation of his celebrated satirical drawings, translating flat, ink-based wit into tactile forms. Each David Shrigley sculpture preserves the raw, immediate energy of his sketchbooks, capturing a deliberate crudeness that subverts traditional academic sculpture. By rendering his flat characters in glazed clay, the artist brings a physical presence and weight to his characteristically fleeting observations.

Sculpture Process

The creation of this ceramic work relies on a meticulously managed casting and glazing process designed to replicate the fluidity of the artist's hand. Each individual piece is moulded from fine clay and fired, before the distinctive black spots and textual declarations are applied in a glossy black glaze. This contrast between the pristine white ceramic base and the hand-painted elements ensures that while the edition comprises multiples, each piece retains a hand-finished quality.

This meticulous production method captures the spontaneous spirit of the original concept, allowing the wet glaze to mimic the quick brushstrokes of ink on paper. Published by AllRightsReserved, this David Shrigley limited edition sculpture represents a sophisticated marriage of commercial production and artistic idiosyncrasy. The resulting object carries the warmth of a handcrafted item whilst maintaining the precise, crisp finish expected of a high-profile contemporary edition.

Collectability

Shrigley's three-dimensional editions are highly sought after, garnering intense collector interest due to their physical presence and relative scarcity compared to his works on paper. The motifs of domestic animals and defiant text are among his most recognisable imagery, making this particular character highly covetable. As key examples of his satirical philosophy, these physical editions frequently anchor major contemporary collections worldwide.

Representing a key sculptural output from his celebrated institutional period, I Cannot Change My Spots But I Have No Desire To Change My Spots remains a particularly desirable example of the artist's satirical practice. With a small edition size of just 75, this piece occupies a rare position in the secondary market, where demand for his sculptures consistently outpaces availability. The combination of its low edition run, recognisable colour scheme, and iconic subject matter ensures its ongoing appeal among serious collectors of contemporary art.