David Shrigley, Pulped Fiction (Nineteen Eighty-Four), 2023

Pulped Fiction (Nineteen Eighty-Four) (2023) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

Pulped Fiction (Nineteen Eighty-Four) (2023) is a highly distinctive David Shrigley print, departing from his typical screenprint editions to embrace the tactile nature of a hand-printed linocut. Rendered in stark, relief-printed black ink against a textured, off-white background, the composition reproduces the minimalist cover design of George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel. The bold, hand-carved lettering and thick borders celebrate the charming imperfections of manual printmaking.

This physical roughness functions as a profound act of social observation, directly reflecting the subversive concept of pulping thousands of commercial books to generate the paper pulp for this edition. By physically reconstituting mass-market material into a literary masterpiece, the work juxtaposes the disposable nature of modern consumerism with the enduring weight of Orwellian themes. This tension elevates the simple graphic design into a potent commentary on cultural value and censorship.

David Shrigley

As a Turner Prize nominee and celebrated Royal Academy member, David Shrigley has secured an indelible position within the landscape of contemporary British art. His public commission Really Good for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square solidified his reputation for translating complex philosophical anxieties into accessible, dryly humorous public statements. Major institutional acquisitions worldwide continue to cement his critical and popular standing.

His practice relies heavily on translating the spontaneous energy of his immediate, satirical ink drawings into highly structured graphic editions. Each David Shrigley print acts as a capsule of conceptual wit, capturing the raw, unedited immediacy of his signature handwriting and cartoonish figures. Through these editions, the artist democratises his practice, offering collectors a direct link to his unique worldview.

Screenprint Process

Utilising a highly unconventional material base, this edition of Pulped Fiction (Nineteen Eighty-Four) is hand-printed onto bespoke paper manufactured entirely from pulped copies of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. This heavy, fibrous sheet replaces standard Somerset paper to provide a rich, tactile surface that absorbs the dense black ink of the relief print. The single-colour black layer is applied with direct manual pressure, avoiding any standard varnish overlay to highlight the raw, organic texture of the recycled substrate.

This physical printmaking approach captures the spontaneous, hand-carved grain of the lino block with the same graphic clarity found in his celebrated screenprints. Published by the artist's own studio imprint, Stour Valley Publishing, this David Shrigley limited edition print demonstrates a masterful control of negative space and ink saturation. The resulting impression retains the distinct character of an artist-led, craft-driven publishing project.

Collectability

Works featuring text-based designs and literary subversions consistently attract significant collector interest due to their instant visual impact and intellectual depth. This particular piece represents a highly coveted sector of his output, where his instantly recognisable graphic style meets deep conceptual performance. Collectors increasingly prize these narrative-driven editions for their ability to spark immediate dialogue within a collection.

Representing an important text piece from his celebrated 2023 printmaking period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of Shrigley's conceptual practice. Given the unique origin of its paper and the ambitious nature of the broader environmental performance project, this edition is highly sought after by institutions and private collectors alike. This sustained demand ensures its prominent place within the artist’s established secondary-market presence.