Make Your Mark (2020) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

Make Your Mark (2020) is a striking David Shrigley screenprint that playfully subverts the language of corporate motivational messaging. The composition features a hand grasping a vibrant red marker, drawing a bold line underneath the titular phrase against a deep black background. This stark contrast emphasises the artist's signature hand-rendered typography and raw graphic style.

By rendering a familiar self-help mantra with such deliberate, childlike simplicity, the work addresses the existential absurdity of striving for legacy in a chaotic world. The physical tension between the thick, imposing lettering and the crude depiction of the hand underscores this satirical perspective. Shrigley transforms a corporate platitude into a highly relatable moment of existential comedy.

David Shrigley

As a Turner Prize nominee and the mind behind the celebrated Fourth Plinth commission Really Good in Trafalgar Square, David Shrigley has secured a unique position within contemporary British art. His dry humour and satirical observations have earned him international acclaim, with works held in prestigious public collections including Tate and the British Council. This institutional validation continues to support his prominent position in the global art market.

At the core of his practice is a devotion to drawing, capturing the fleeting anxieties of modern life through quick ink renderings. Translating these spontaneous illustrations into the graphic medium allows each David Shrigley print to preserve the immediacy of the original drawing while elevating it to a monumental scale. This transition from sketch to finished edition highlights his unique ability to turn everyday thoughts into enduring visual statements.

Screenprint Process

Utilising heavy Somerset tub sized 410gsm paper, this edition highlights the tactile possibilities of traditional graphic reproduction. The application of seven distinct ink layers produces a remarkably dense black background and a vivid red hue, which is further enhanced by a gloss varnish overlay. This varnish layer creates a subtle play of light across the matte paper surface, giving the flat graphic elements a surprising sense of three-dimensional depth.

The precise screenprinting technique successfully translates the urgent quality of Shrigley's hand-drawn lines without losing their raw energy. Published by the renowned London-based print studio Jealous Gallery, this David Shrigley limited edition print exemplifies the high production standards expected by seasoned collectors. Through this meticulous process, the subtle imperfections of the artist's draftsmanship are immortalised as rich, saturated passages of colour.

Collectability

With an edition size of just 125, the work represents a highly sought-after release that regularly generates strong collector interest on the secondary market. The piece features the artist's highly recognisable text-based imagery, which remains some of his most popular and sought-after output. Collectors are drawn to these text pieces for their immediate visual impact and their sharp, satirical reflections on contemporary culture.

Representing a major colour work from his highly active 2020 printmaking period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of Shrigley's practice. As editions from this period continue to be absorbed into private collections, acquiring Make Your Mark becomes increasingly difficult. This growing scarcity, combined with the work's universal appeal, positions it as a cornerstone for any serious collection of contemporary British prints.

Artwork Specifications

• Artist: David Shrigley (British, b. 1968)
• Title: Make Your Mark
• Medium: 7 colour screenprint with a varnish overlay on Somerset tub sized 410gsm paper
• Dimensions: 76 x 56 cm
• Edition: Edition of 125
• Year: 2020
• Markings: Signed, numbered and dated on the back