David Shrigley, Shits, 2019

Shits (2019) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

Shits (2019) is a compelling edition by David Shrigley that utilises hand-painted acrylic on 640gsm Fabriano artistico paper to achieve the flat, graphic impact of a screenprint. This composition presents eleven highly simplified, cartoonish forms rendered in a vivid palette of primary yellow, rich crimson, deep blue, and earthy tones against a stark white background. Each gestural shape sits in a loose grid format, accompanied by the artist's signature faux-naive capitalised lettering that spells out the provocative title.

By rendering a traditionally taboo subject in such cheerful, painterly tones, the work exemplifies the British artist's celebrated capacity for deadpan humour. The deliberate tension between the word Shits and the pristine, heavy-gauge paper elevates a childish scatological joke into a high-art context. This irreverent juxtaposition invites viewers to find joy in the mundane and ridiculous aspects of the human condition.

David Shrigley

Nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013, David Shrigley has secured an enduring position in contemporary British art through his wry social commentary and instantly recognisable style. His monumental Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square and regular inclusions in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition have cemented his status as a key cultural figure. Today, his works are held in prestigious public institutions worldwide, including the Tate and the British Council.

The transition from spontaneous, notebook line drawings to high-quality multiples remains central to his artistic practice. Each David Shrigley print translates the immediacy of his ink sketches into a shared public experience, retaining the raw energy of the original gesture. This democratisation of his art allows collectors to engage directly with his distinctive brand of suburban surrealism.

Screenprint Process

Focusing on the tactile qualities of the medium, the Material Hook of this edition lies in its heavy 640gsm Fabriano artistico paper, which provides an exceptionally robust and textured ground for the artist's hand-applied pigments. Unlike a standard commercial screenprint, each piece in this series features unique hand-painted acrylic elements, offering a rich, painterly surface texture with subtle variances in brushwork. The substantial weight of the Italian art paper ensures the vibrant pigments sit beautifully on the surface without warping the sheet.

This combination of hand-painting and systematic replication captures the exact spontaneity of the artist's original line while offering a unique surface finish for every collector. Released through the esteemed Galleri Nicolai Wallner, this David Shrigley limited edition print project merges the realms of unique painting and multiple editioning. The result is a highly tactile work where the physical presence of the acrylic paint enhances the graphic punch of the composition.

Collectability

Acquiring works from this celebrated series has become a priority for serious contemporary art collectors who appreciate the artist's text-based and illustrative masterpieces. The iconic nature of the imagery, combined with Shrigley's dry wit, ensures strong secondary-market presence and continued collector interest. Because these works represent a bridge between unique paintings and multiples, they occupy a highly coveted niche in his wider oeuvre.

Representing a major colour work from his celebrated 2019 printmaking period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of Shrigley's artistic practice. With an edition size of just 125, the scarcity of these hand-painted sheets has driven sustained appeal globally. As major museum collections continue to acquire his output, securing early, vibrant works of this scale remains a key goal for astute buyers.