Money Creates Taste (2020) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

Money Creates Taste (2020) is a striking David Shrigley screenprint that immediately arrests the viewer with its bold juxtaposition of text and form. Against a brilliant, saturated yellow background, a roughly rendered green urn stands in stark silhouette, topped by the artist's characteristically crude, hand-rendered text. This specific visual contrast highlights the tension between classical motifs of high culture and the raw, democratic aesthetic of contemporary printmaking.

By scrawling the phrase Money Creates Taste directly above a classical vessel, the work serves as a sharp piece of social observation addressing the commodification of aesthetics within the art market. The deliberate simplicity of the vessel's outline subverts traditional notions of craftsmanship, suggesting that value is often artificially constructed by financial capital rather than inherent artistic merit. This conceptual irony is reinforced by the flat, unapologetic application of colour, transforming a cynical truism into a humorous visual manifesto.

David Shrigley

Celebrated for his biting wit and deceptively simple draftsmanship, the British artist has secured a formidable position in contemporary art history with a nomination for the Turner Prize and his highly publicised Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square. His work is regularly included in prestigious public collections worldwide, including Tate and the British Council, cementing his influence as an astute commentator on modern life. Regular inclusion in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition further underscores his enduring appeal across both institutional and public spheres.

The transition from quick, spontaneous ink drawings on paper to structured editions allows his immediate, diaristic thoughts to achieve a monumental presence. Obtaining a David Shrigley print offers collectors a direct entry point into this celebrated graphic vocabulary, preserving the urgent, hand-drawn quality of his original ink illustrations. Through this graphic medium, his deadpan commentary gains a democratic accessibility that mirrors the artist's anti-elitist philosophy.

Screenprint Process

Utilising a complex multi-layered production technique, this particular work is an 8 colour screenprint executed on premium Somerset satin tub sized 410gsm paper. The application of a subtle varnish overlay provides a rich, tactile depth that elevates the flat plains of ink, ensuring the heavy paper stock retains its structural integrity. This meticulous screenprinting method allows the bright yellow background and the dark silhouette of the urn to resonate with exceptional chromatic clarity.

Published in collaboration with the renowned Jealous Gallery, the production process perfectly mirrors the fluid weight of the artist's original ink strokes. Acquiring a David Shrigley limited edition print of this calibre ensures that the subtle textures and hand-rendered imperfections of the text are preserved exactly as intended by the print studio. The final result is a highly polished graphic edition that retains all the vitality of a spontaneous drawing.

Collectability

Due to the explicit thematic connection to the mechanics of the art world itself, this composition attracts significant collector interest globally. Works featuring his most direct, self-referential text-based statements remain highly sought after due to their immediate legibility and cultural relevance. This universal appeal has established a highly active secondary market for his most iconic graphic statements.

Representing an important text piece from his highly active 2020 publishing period, the work is produced in an edition of just 125. This relatively modest edition size, combined with the print's sharp institutional critique, ensures continued collector interest over time. As a result, the work remains a particularly desirable example of the artist's celebrated graphic output.

Artwork Specifications

• Artist: David Shrigley (British, b. 1968)
• Title: Money Creates Taste
• Medium: 8 colour screenprint with a varnish overlay on Somerset satin tub sized 410gsm
• Dimensions: 75 x 56 cm
• Edition: Edition of 125
• Year: 2020