David Shrigley, I'm So Great, 2014

I'm So Great (2014) – David Shrigley Linocut

About the Work

I'm So Great (2014) is a striking David Shrigley print that exemplifies the artist's celebrated minimalist aesthetic and deadpan delivery. Executed as a linocut on heavy wove paper, the composition features bold, hand-carved black lettering set against a stark, unblemished white background. The heavy, irregular ink lines of the text and its simple rectangular border create an immediate, tactile visual presence.

Mapped to the emotional register of Absurdity, the work addresses the fragile nature of human ego and self-assurance. By isolating this boastful statement within a crude, hand-rendered frame, the artist exposes the inherent insecurity behind performative confidence. This juxtaposition of grandiose text and deliberately unrefined execution transforms a simple declaration into a poignant piece of social observation.

David Shrigley

As a Turner Prize nominee and celebrated Royal Academy member, David Shrigley has secured an enduring position within contemporary British art. His highly acclaimed public commissions, notably the Fourth Plinth sculpture in Trafalgar Square, have brought his subversive wit to global audiences. Today, his works are held in premier institutional collections worldwide, including Tate and the British Council.

Transitioning his spontaneous, immediate line drawings into the demanding medium of printmaking requires an exceptional balance of precision and raw energy. Each David Shrigley print retains the urgent, sketch-like quality of his original notebook pages while elevating the graphic power of the composition. This interplay between high-art production and low-fi aesthetics defines his sought-after graphic oeuvre.

Screenprint Process

While David Shrigley frequently utilises screenprints to achieve flat, saturated planes of colour, his exploration of relief printmaking offers a contrasting tactile depth. In this particular graphic edition, the physical act of carving into the block creates uniquely textured edges that standard screenprinting cannot replicate. The rich, velvety black ink is pressed firmly into the robust wove paper, leaving a subtle, embossed quality to the finished surface.

This hands-on graphic technique perfectly captures the spontaneity of the artist's original drawing whilst ensuring superb archival longevity. Published by Galleri Nicolai Wallner, this David Shrigley limited edition print demonstrates a masterful control of negative space and crisp graphic contrast. The resulting work carries a distinct physical weight that accentuates the singular character of each impression in the edition.

Collectability

Significant collector interest surrounds the artist's text-based works, which are widely considered to be his most recognisable and direct artistic statements. The clean, monochrome palette of this piece makes it highly versatile for contemporary interiors, further driving its secondary-market demand. Collectors value these early graphic statements for their purity of concept and unmistakable visual signature.

Representing an important text piece from his highly active 2014 printmaking period, I'm So Great remains a particularly desirable example of the artist's editioned output. With an edition size of just 100, this rare release offers much greater scarcity than his later, larger-edition digital and offset lithograph releases. This combination of an early publication date and a restricted run ensures its continued appeal among discerning collectors.