David Shrigley, Untitled (Zzz...), 2005

Untitled (Zzz...) (2005) – David Shrigley Woodcut

About the Work

Untitled (Zzz...) (2005) is a striking David Shrigley woodcut that translates the artist's signature graphic economy into the rich, textured medium of relief printing. Rendered in a stark monochrome palette, the composition features bold, hand-carved lettering that dominates the Somerset paper with raw, organic energy. The deep black ink contrasts sharply with the warm, off-white background, creating a tactile presence that is rarely seen in his later commercial editions.

By elevating the universal comic-strip shorthand for sleep into a monumental art object, this work captures a profound sense of absurdity. The deliberate crudeness of the carved letterforms mirrors the exhaustion they depict, subverting traditional notions of fine art printmaking through celebrated banality. This tension between the intensive physical labour of wood carving and the ultimate laziness of the subject matter encapsulates the dry wit that defines the artist's practice.

David Shrigley

Having risen to international prominence with his celebrated nomination for the Turner Prize in 2013, the British artist has secured a singular position in contemporary art. His acclaimed public commissions, including the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square and celebrated installations at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, have cemented his institutional importance. Today, his work is held in prestigious public institutions worldwide, including Tate and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

While his primary medium remains spontaneous ink drawing, translating these immediate gestures into a printed edition introduces a compelling physical permanence. Collectors highly value how each David Shrigley print preserves the raw, immediate energy of his original line work through carefully chosen graphic techniques. This transition from sketch to editioned multiples allows his ephemeral thoughts to command a lasting physical presence on the gallery wall.

Screenprint Process

Although David Shrigley is widely celebrated for his multi-layered screenprint editions, Untitled (Zzz...) (2005) utilises a tactile woodcut method that highlights the physical grain of the carved block. Unlike the flat ink application of a traditional screenprint, this relief process presses ink deep into the heavy Somerset paper, creating a debossed texture. The absence of complex colour counts or spot varnish overlays emphasises the stark, elemental purity of the hand-carved line.

Executed in collaboration with The Modern Institute, this rare project demonstrates how printmaking can preserve the deliberate imperfections of the artist's hand. Acquiring a David Shrigley limited edition print from this early period offers a direct connection to a craftsmanship-focused studio environment. The resulting impression retains a raw, unpolished vitality that perfectly reflects the underlying conceptual humour of the series.

Collectability

Strong secondary-market presence and continued collector interest surround these early graphic works due to their scarcity. Modern collectors increasingly prioritise these historically significant, smaller editions that showcase the foundations of the artist's text-based practice. The iconic text-driven design makes this piece an instantly recognisable example of his celebrated oeuvre.

Representing an important acquisition from his highly sought-after 2005 institutional period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of Shrigley's printmaking practice. With an exceptionally small edition size of just 20, examples from this historic print run are incredibly scarce on the secondary market. This rarity, combined with the classic typographic subject matter, ensures its enduring appeal among serious contemporary art collectors.