David Shrigley, Untitled (Vote For Snakes), 2022

Untitled (Vote For Snakes) (2022) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

Untitled (Vote For Snakes) (2022) is a striking David Shrigley screenprint that confronts the viewer with the artist's signature blend of deadpan humour and graphic simplicity. The composition employs a vivid palette of forest green, canary yellow, and stark black to depict a coiled serpent alongside hand-rendered text. This bold, poster-like aesthetic mimics democratic campaign materials with deliberate crudeness.

By elevating a historically untrustworthy creature to a political candidate, the work acts as an allegory for the inherent absurdity of public elections and rhetoric. The looping, naive rendering of the snake undermines any sense of menace, transforming the predatory reptile into a comic symbol of bureaucratic choice. This juxtaposition highlights how modern systems often reduce complex decisions to farcical slogans.

David Shrigley

Nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013, David Shrigley has secured an enduring position in the contemporary art canon through public commissions such as the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. His work is held in prestigious international institutions, including the Tate in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The artist is also a regular contributor to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, where his satirical commentaries consistently captivate audiences.

While best known for his ink drawings, his printmaking practice allows these spontaneous compositions to be realised on a grander scale. Each David Shrigley print translates his hasty felt-tip lines into crisp, saturated works of art that preserve the immediacy of the original sketch. This graphic clarity ensures that his sharp social critiques maintain their visual impact when experienced in a gallery setting.

Screenprint Process

Utilising heavy, museum-grade wove paper, the physical presence of this edition highlights the tactile qualities of traditional studio printing. Multiple layers of pigment-rich inks are applied sequentially to create flat, dense colour fields that resist fading and retain their graphic intensity. A fine protective matte varnish is layered over the composition, sealing the ink while preserving the textured surface of the premium paper stock.

Working in collaboration with the master printers at Jealous Gallery, the artist ensures that the mechanical process of printmaking does not diminish the energy of his hand-drawn style. This David Shrigley limited edition print exemplifies how screenprinting captures the subtle irregularities of his handwriting with absolute fidelity. The resulting work possesses a tactile depth and saturation that distinguishes it from digital reproductions.

Collectability

Acquirers of contemporary graphics consistently seek out pieces that feature the artist’s most recognisable motifs, particularly those that blend text and animal imagery. The combination of satirical commentary and zoomorphic subjects creates a high level of collector interest globally. As these editions enter private and public archives, their availability on the secondary market naturally decreases.

Representing a highly sought-after animal motif from his 2022 output, Untitled (Vote For Snakes) remains a particularly desirable example of the artist's graphic portfolio. With an edition size restricted to just 125, this work represents a scarce opportunity within his broader printmaking practice. Given the continued collector interest in his text-driven animal commentaries, this screenprint occupies an important niche for those wishing to secure a representative work from this productive period.