The World (2020) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

The World (2020) is a striking David Shrigley screenprint that immediately captures the viewer with its vibrant yellow backdrop and central, hand-drawn globe. Executed with the artist's signature faux-naive style, this composition relies on bold, contrasting primary colours to depict our planet floating in a saturated yellow void.

By rendering the continents of The World in loose, energetic green and brown washes alongside text labels, the work playfully exposes the absurdity of human division and cartography. This specific visual juxtaposition highlights the tension between the physical reality of the Earth and the subjective labels we impose upon it, speaking directly to our shared global experience.

David Shrigley

Nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013, David Shrigley has secured an indelible position in contemporary British art through his wry, deadpan commentary. From his celebrated Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square to acquisitions by major museum collections such as Tate and MoMA, his practice spans public intervention and celebrated institutional exhibitions.

This graphic immediacy translates effortlessly into the graphic medium, where his raw ink drawings are elevated to museum-quality editions. Each David Shrigley print acts as a democratic vehicle for his satire, translating the intimacy of his sketchbook pages into commanding, large-scale statements.

Screenprint Process

Released in a strictly managed run of 125, this screenprint exemplifies the rigorous technical standards of modern fine art printmaking. The physical presence of the piece is defined by its execution as an 8 colour screenprint with a tactile varnish overlay, utilising rich, saturated inks on heavyweight Somerset satin tub sized 410gsm paper.

Working closely with the master printers at Jealous Gallery, the artist ensures that the screenprinting process captures every nuance of his original line work and fluid paint washes. This meticulous attention to detail transforms the final David Shrigley limited edition print into a rich, textured object that preserves the immediate, hand-painted feel of the source artwork.

Collectability

Due to their instant recognisable aesthetic and universal thematic appeal, works from this era enjoy robust collector interest internationally. First released in 2020, The World has become one of his most conceptually coherent statements on the global environment, a motif that continues to drive demand in the established secondary market.

Representing a major colour work from his celebrated 2020 printmaking period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of Shrigley's printmaking practice. Given the relatively small edition size for such an iconic graphic subject, opportunities to acquire this specific release are increasingly limited, sustaining strong secondary-market presence.

Artwork Specifications

• Artist: David Shrigley (British, b. 1968)
• Title: The World
• Medium: 8 colour screenprint with a varnish overlay on Somerset satin tub sized 410gsm
• Dimensions: 75 x 56 cm
• Edition: Edition of 125
• Year: 2020
• Markings: Signed, numbered and dated on the back