David Shrigley, Man, 2005

Man (2005) – David Shrigley Woodcut

About the Work

Man (2005) is a striking David Shrigley woodcut on wove paper that captures the artist's signature raw aesthetic during a pivotal moment in his early career. Rendering a solitary male figure in heavy, expressive black ink against a stark white background, the composition embraces a deliberate graphic crudeness. The thick, hand-carved lines of the woodblock contrast sharply with the delicate texture of the paper, creating a powerful visual tension.

Conveying a profound sense of vulnerability in Man, this minimalist depiction strips away all superficial detail to expose the awkwardness of the huMan condition. By presenting the figure in isolation, the work transforms a simple portrait into a poignant commentary on existential anxiety and social alienation. This stark presentation exemplifies the artist's ability to locate deep emotional truth within seemingly naive draftsManship.

David Shrigley

Highly celebrated for his satirical take on everyday life, David Shrigley has secured a prominent position in contemporary British art through major milestones, including his 2013 Turner Prize nomination and the acclaimed Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square. His work is held in prestigious public collections globally, including the Tate and the British Council. This institutional validation has solidified his reputation as a master of tragicomic social observation.

The transition from spontaneous drawing to the print medium allows his immediate, unrefined mark-making to be preserved with remarkable fidelity. Acquiring a David Shrigley print offers collectors an intimate window into the artist's celebrated graphic universe, where text and image collide. These printed editions maintain the urgent, democratic quality of his original notebook sketches while elevating them to monumental graphic statements.

Screenprint Process

Published in an exceptionally small run of just 20 impressions, this rare woodcut showcases a tactile depth that differs significantly from a standard David Shrigley screenprint. Rather than utilising flat screenprinting inks, the relief process embeds the rich black pigment deep into the fibres of the heavy Somerset wove paper, highlighting the natural grain of the woodblock. This meticulous hand-printed technique ensures that each individual impression possesses unique textural variations that cannot be replicated by commercial screenprints.

Translating raw, carved lines into a cohesive multiple requires immense technical skill to preserve the artist's characteristic immediacy. Published by Stephen FriedMan Gallery, this David Shrigley limited edition print highlights how the physical resistance of the wood block enhances the expressive power of the artist's line. The resulting work bridges the gap between traditional fine art printmaking and contemporary graphic satire.

Collectability

With its timeless focus on the huMan form, the composition comMands significant collector interest due to its alignment with the artist's most celebrated motifs. Works from this early period are highly sought after, as they represent the foundation of his distinctive visual vocabulary before his global rise to fame. This widespread appeal is bolstered by the enduring deMand for his instantly recognisable imagery on the secondary market.

Representing an exceptionally rare example from his highly acclaimed 2005 institutional period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of Shrigley's printmaking practice. Given the incredibly restricted edition size of only 20, examples of this calibre seldom appear on the open market, making it one of his most elusive printed works. Consequently, the work continues to enjoy a strong secondary-market presence among discerning international collectors.