David Shrigley, I Destroyed The Tennis Ball, 2023

I Destroyed The Tennis Ball (2023) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

I Destroyed The Tennis Ball (2023) is a striking David Shrigley screenprint that immediately captures the viewer's attention with its vibrant palette and signature bold lines. The composition features an expressive canine protagonist alongside a mangled, neon-yellow tennis ball set against a rich, saturated backdrop. Through this simple yet potent imagery, the artist elevates a mundane domestic event into a monumental narrative of triumph and destruction.

Operating within the realm of Absurdity, the work masterfully portrays the contrasting emotions of pride and guilt that define a pet's chaotic nature. The hand-rendered text acts as a confession, rendering the physical remains of the toy a humorous relic of unbridled joy. By giving voice to the dog's internal monologue, the print highlights the comical tensions between human expectations and animal instincts.

David Shrigley

As a Turner Prize nominee and celebrated Royal Academy member, the artist has secured a formidable position within contemporary British art. His public commissions, notably the monumental 'Really Good' thumb sculpture for Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth, have cemented his reputation as an astute observer of daily life. Today, his work is held in major institutional collections worldwide, including the Tate and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

This graphic simplicity translates seamlessly into his graphic editions, where ink-drawn lines gain new permanence and weight. Each David Shrigley print acts as a democratic extension of his wider practice, making his satirical world-view accessible to international collectors. The translation of his immediate, diary-like sketches into highly finished graphic editions remains central to his enduring appeal.

Screenprint Process

Printed in a strictly limited run of 125, this work showcases the absolute pinnacle of contemporary fine art screenprinting. Utilizing an exceptionally complex 26-colour process, the studio has rendered each individual hue with remarkable depth and precision on heavy Somerset satin tub-sized 410gsm paper. This premium, heavy-weight stock allows the dense layers of pigment to sit proudly on the surface, preserving the tactile quality of the original gouache layers.

Working in close collaboration with the master printers at Jealous Gallery, the production process perfectly preserves the immediate vitality of the artist's original drawing. This meticulous approach ensures that this David Shrigley limited edition print retains every subtle nuance of the hand-drawn text and character outlines. The resulting edition is a masterclass in modern editioning, marrying high-spec technical production with spontaneous artistic expression.

Collectability

Works featuring canine and feline subjects consistently generate the highest levels of collector interest within the artist's secondary market. This particular composition utilizes his most recognisable imagery, combining deadpan text with a charmingly naive animal form. Such universally appealing motifs ensure the work remains highly sought after by seasoned connoisseurs and new collectors alike.

Representing a highly coveted animal motif from his celebrated 2023 printmaking period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of his graphic practice. With an edition size of just 125 copies, its relative scarcity compared to larger poster runs has driven sustained secondary-market presence. As a result, I Destroyed The Tennis Ball commands strong collector interest, consolidating its position as a classic and enduring addition to any contemporary collection.