David Shrigley, The Elephant, 2023

The Elephant (2023) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

The Elephant (2023) is a striking David Shrigley screenprint that juxtaposes a flat, saturated canary-yellow background with a wonderfully naive, slate-grey depiction of an elephant. Characterised by its awkwardly elongated trunk and disproportionally slender legs, the animal stands as a monument to endearing physical disproportion. This bold contrast of saturated colour and primitive line drawing exemplifies the artist's ability to command immediate visual attention while retaining a deliberately unpolished aesthetic.

In The Elephant, the sheer absurdity of the animal's rendering serves as a profound metaphor for human vulnerability and existential awkwardness. By stripping the majestic beast of its traditional grandeur, the work invites viewers to find comfort in imperfection and shared fallibility. It is this unique blend of dark humour and poignant simplification that elevates the composition from a mere cartoon to a profound social observation.

David Shrigley

Nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013, the celebrated British artist has carved out a singular niche in the contemporary art landscape with his deadpan humour and satirical drawings. His monumental public commissions, most notably the colossal thumb sculpture Really Good for London's Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, have cemented his reputation as an essential voice in modern British culture. Regular inclusions in prestigious exhibitions like the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition further underscore his widespread critical acclaim.

While initially celebrated for his ephemeral ink drawings, the artist has seamlessly transitioned these immediate, spontaneous gestures into highly crafted editions. Acquiring a David Shrigley print offers collectors a tangible connection to this celebrated graphic language, preserved with meticulous precision. The translation of raw, immediate ink lines into permanent gallery-quality mediums represents a key pillar of his contemporary practice.

Screenprint Process

Utilising Somerset paper as the physical foundation for the work, the edition benefits from a heavy, archival-quality cotton support that lends a luxurious, tactile depth to the final composition. The screenprinting technique allows for incredibly dense layers of ink, ensuring the vibrant yellow background and rich charcoal-grey lines possess a velvety, matte finish. This precise ink application creates a crisp, clean contrast that beautifully mimics the directness of a fresh ink drawing.

Printed at the renowned Jealous Print Studio, the production process perfectly captures the intentional wobbles and bleeding ink-edges of the original drawing. Each David Shrigley limited edition print in this run serves as a testament to the collaborative synergy between artist and master printer, preserving the vital energy of the hand-drawn line. This commitment to traditional printmaking techniques elevates the graphic work into a highly refined physical object.

Collectability

Driven by a highly active global collector base, demand for the artist's graphic works remains consistently robust on the international secondary market. Artworks featuring his instantly recognisable animal motifs are particularly sought after, as they represent the very core of his celebrated visual vocabulary. These playful yet poignant depictions of creatures have become iconic symbols within contemporary British art, ensuring steady interest from both established and emerging collectors.

Representing a highly desirable animal motif from his celebrated 2023 printmaking period, this work is limited to an edition of just 125 copies. Such modest edition sizes, paired with the artist's continued institutional presence, make this piece an exceptionally appealing example of his graphic oeuvre. The combination of classic Shrigley wit and restricted supply underpins continued collector interest in this specific release.