David Shrigley, Poison, 2005

Poison (2005) – David Shrigley Woodcut

About the Work

Poison (2005) is a striking David Shrigley woodcut print on wove paper that captures the artist's signature dark humour through its stark, monochrome execution. The composition features a crudely carved bottle rendered in heavy black ink against a natural, off-white background, creating a powerful graphic contrast. Sharp, raw gouges in the block outline the ominous vessel, leaving a tactile impression of physical urgency.

By rendering a lethal substance in such a childlike, block-printed fashion, the composition cleverly channels a sense of modern anxiety. This tension is heightened by the uneven lettering of the central warning, which transforms a symbol of danger into an object of existential absurdity. The deliberate crudeness of the carved lines mirrors the fragility of human vulnerability when confronted with everyday hazards.

David Shrigley

Nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013, the celebrated British artist has long challenged the boundaries of contemporary art with his biting social commentary. His public commissions, notably the monumental Trafalgar Square Fourth Plinth sculpture, have cemented his status as a vital voice in modern British culture. Representation in major public institutions, including Tate and the Museum of Modern Art, reflects his enduring global influence.

At the core of his practice is a devotion to immediate, unfiltered drawing that translates seamlessly into graphic editions. Acquiring a David Shrigley print allows collectors to experience this raw immediacy, where the artist's quick-witted philosophy is preserved through traditional impression techniques. Each graphic work serves as an intimate window into a restless creative mind that finds extraordinary beauty in the mundane.

Screenprint Process

Published in a remarkably small edition of just 20, this early woodblock edition prioritises tactile mark-making over the multi-layered colour counts typical of his later screenprint releases. Unlike a commercial screenprint or heavy varnish overlay, this work relies on the textured grain of the hand-carved block transferring directly onto heavy wove paper. This meticulous printing technique ensures that the dense, velvety black ink possesses a distinct physical weight.

Printmaking uniquely captures the spontaneous energy of the artist's original carving tool, retaining every minute splinter and block imperfection. Published in association with BQ, Berlin, this rare David Shrigley limited edition print exemplifies how mechanical reproduction can preserve the direct, expressive touch of the hand. The resulting impression acts as a direct physical record of the relief printmaking process.

Collectability

Works from this era attract intense collector interest due to their uncompromising, stripped-back aesthetic. Simple yet profound, the stark graphic presence of the bottle showcases the highly recognisable imagery that has come to define the artist's legacy. Collectors value these early graphic statements for their purity of concept and historical significance.

Representing an important artifact from his celebrated early institutional period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of his graphic output. With such a restricted print run, locating these historic editions on the secondary market is increasingly difficult, driving sustained appeal among dedicated connoisseurs. The exceptionally low run positions this work as a cornerstone of any serious graphic collection.