I Hate Humans (2022) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

I Hate Humans (2021) is a striking David Shrigley screenprint that confronts the viewer with the artist's signature blend of dark humour and bold graphic design. The composition features a bizarre, multi-legged creature rendered in deep purples and pinks, standing defiantly against a saturated, sun-yellow background. Dominating the upper portion of the sheet, the hand-drawn title of the work serves as both a blunt declaration and a comical focal point.

Mapped to the emotional register of frustration, the creature's multiple spindly limbs and vacant stare physicalise the overwhelming annoyance of modern social existence. This graphic manifestation of alienation transforms a simple misanthropic statement into an absurdly relatable monument to contemporary anxiety. By placing such a harsh sentiment within a cheerful, candy-coloured frame, the work cleverly subverts our expectations of visual joy.

David Shrigley

As a Turner Prize nominee and the celebrated creator of the Fourth Plinth commission 'Really Good' in Trafalgar Square, the artist has secured a permanent place in British contemporary art history. His work is regularly featured in prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Royal Academy of Arts and major museum collections. Through these public achievements, he has democratised contemporary art by balancing conceptual weight with immediate accessibility.

This unique practice translates the immediacy of his famous ink sketches into the demanding realm of fine art publishing. Owning a David Shrigley print offers collectors a direct connection to this subversive vision, preserving the raw, expressive quality of his original pen strokes. The deliberate avoidance of academic perfection is precisely what lends his graphic output its enduring charm and cultural relevance.

Screenprint Process

Released in a highly controlled run of just 125, this specific edition demonstrates the rigorous production values of the artist's contemporary output. The composition utilises a sophisticated ten-colour process on Somerset satin tub sized 410gsm paper, deliberately omitting any varnish overlay to maintain a tactile, velvety surface. This material choice allows the rich pigments to resonate with maximum depth and flat colour clarity.

Each impression successfully replicates the fluid lines and physical weight of the artist's original drawing through masterful ink-layering techniques. Produced in collaboration with the renowned Jealous Gallery print studio, this David Shrigley limited edition print captures the fine nuances of his hand-lettered text and graphic contours. The resulting edition stands as a testament to the meticulous standards of modern screenprinting.

Collectability

Characterised by high demand and strong secondary-market presence, works from this period continue to attract serious collector interest globally. The immediate recognisability of his creature drawings makes such editions highly prized acquisitions for contemporary art portfolios. As his institutional presence grows, these graphic works remain central to the artist's market footprint.

Representing a highly sought-after animal motif from his celebrated 2021 printmaking period, I Hate Humans remains a particularly desirable example of the artist's graphic practice. The tight edition size of 125 ensures that opportunities to acquire this specific composition remain scarce. Collectors increasingly prioritise these text-and-image variations for their potent combination of visual impact and satirical bite.

Artwork Specifications

• Artist: David Shrigley (British, b. 1968)
• Title: I Hate Humans
• Medium: 10 colour screenprint with no varnish overlay on Somerset satin tub sized 410gsm
• Dimensions: 75 x 56 cm
• Edition: Edition of 125
• Year: 2022
• Markings: Signed and numbered