David Shrigley, News: Nobody Likes You, 2006

News: Nobody Likes You (2006) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

News: Nobody Likes You (2006) is a striking David Shrigley screenprint that subverts the format of a public broadsheet announcement to deliver a devastatingly blunt message. Rendered in the artist's characteristic monochrome palette, the composition utilises heavy, hand-drawn black lettering against a stark off-white background. The intentional layout mimics a headline banner, forcing the viewer into an immediate, confrontational encounter with the text.

This particular composition explores the absurdity of universal rejection, presenting a deeply personal insecurity as a matter of objective, public record. By rendering the cruel statement "Nobody Likes You" under the authoritative header "News", the work highlights the tragicomic tension between institutional truth and personal vulnerability. It is a brilliant distillation of the psychological discomfort that defines his most celebrated text-based works.

David Shrigley

Nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013, the celebrated British artist has carved out a singular niche in the contemporary art world through his satirical drawings and public interventions. His monumental Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square, alongside high-profile exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery and the Royal Academy of Arts, cemented his reputation as an essential voice in British art. Today, his work resides in the permanent collections of major global institutions, including Tate and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Transforming the immediacy of his sketchbook pages into the permanent medium of fine art multiples, the artist maintains a rigorous graphic discipline. This transition allows each David Shrigley print to preserve the raw, unfiltered energy of the original ink drawing while elevating it into a shared cultural artefact. The deliberate preservation of minor ink splatters and shaky handwriting serves to democratise the viewing experience, making his astute observations universally accessible.

Screenprint Process

Commissioned and published by the esteemed Galleri Nicolai Wallner in Copenhagen, this early release exemplifies a highly sophisticated approach to graphic production. The flat black ink is meticulously applied to heavy Somerset paper, creating an arresting contrast that emphasises the weight of the hand-rendered text. This tactile application ensures that the rich, matte ink sits beautifully on the surface of the premium paper stock, giving the graphic elements a physical presence that a digital reproduction cannot replicate.

Executed during a pivotal era of the artist's graphic career, the screenprinting method flawlessly captures the fluid, spontaneous quality of his ink-on-paper work. This David Shrigley limited edition screenprint represents an important technical collaboration, where the specialist printers carefully translated the original drawings to maintain the rich saturation of the black ink. The resulting edition is a testament to the enduring appeal of traditional printmaking techniques in contemporary conceptual art.

Collectability

Given his wide-ranging public appeal, there is continued collector interest in his early, text-driven publications. Works featuring these highly recognisable, direct-to-viewer statements are especially sought after, as they represent the core of the artist's conceptual philosophy. These minimalist compositions have established a strong secondary-market presence, frequently headlining contemporary editions auctions worldwide.

Representing an important text piece from his highly influential 2006 publishing period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of Shrigley's early printmaking practice. With a strict edition size of just 100, examples of News: Nobody Likes You are increasingly difficult to source on the open market. This scarcity, combined with the timeless nature of the message, positions the edition as a cornerstone piece for serious contemporary collections.