David Shrigley, Please Try To Forget You Saw Me, 2014

Please Try To Forget You Saw Me (2014) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

Please Try To Forget You Saw Me (2014) is an evocative David Shrigley screenprint that pairs minimalist aesthetics with raw human emotion. Executed in a stark black ink against the heavy, cream-toned surface of BFK Rives paper, the composition utilises a monochromatic colour palette to isolate its singular, awkwardly rendered subject. This deliberate visual economy forces the viewer to confront the text directly above the trembling figure, drawing immediate attention to the frantic nature of the hand-rendered script.

This physical rendering of a spindly, bird-like creature perfectly communicates the underlying anxiety of being perceived when one is unprepared. By depicting the subject in such an exposed, unpolished state, the artist successfully transforms a moment of social mortification into a universally understood visual joke. The tension between the pleading text and the clumsy physical presence of the figure defines the enduring appeal of the composition.

David Shrigley

Celebrated for his biting wit and deceptively simple line drawings, David Shrigley has secured an esteemed position in contemporary British art. A Turner Prize nominee and recipient of the high-profile Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square, his work is held in prestigious public institutions globally, including Tate and the British Council. His contribution to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition remains an annual highlight for collectors and critics alike.

Translating rapid, daily ink drawings into the formal constraints of printmaking has proved incredibly successful for his international studio. Each David Shrigley print retains the absolute immediacy of his original sketchbook entries while elevating the graphic power of his work through careful fabrication. This balance between raw expression and curated presentation has established his works as vital markers of late twentieth and early twenty-first-century British satire.

Screenprint Process

Utilising traditional screenprinting methods, this print relies on thick, highly pigmented black ink that sits proudly on the surface of the premium 250gsm BFK Rives fine art paper. The density of the black ink offers a velvet-like texture that cannot be replicated by digital processes, lending the simple graphic line an unexpected physical depth. Each layer of ink is hand-pulled to ensure absolute crispness against the natural, textured paper grain.

Recreating the spontaneous nature of hand-drawn ink into a multi-layered David Shrigley limited edition print requires meticulous oversight from the master printmakers. Working closely with publishers like Galleri Nicolai Wallner, the production process preserves every subtle tremor in the line work. The resulting edition possesses a tactile richness that elevates the satirical statement into a refined object of connoisseurship.

Collectability

Highly sought-after for their distinctive blend of pathos and humour, works from this period command consistent collector interest internationally. The combination of anthropomorphic figures and existential commentary represents his most recognisable and desired output. Collectors often focus on these earlier, more intimate editions which capture the essence of his early-career graphic style.

Representing an important text piece from his highly active 2014 printmaking period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of the artist's graphic practice. With a relatively low edition size of just 100, Please Try To Forget You Saw Me is increasingly difficult to source on the secondary market. This limited availability, coupled with steady institutional recognition, supports a highly active and established market for these specific editions.