David Shrigley, We Won The Race, 2020

We Won The Race (2020) – David Shrigley Screenprint

About the Work

We Won The Race (2020) is a striking David Shrigley print that presents a minimalist yet profound monochrome composition rendered through delicate etching lines on heavy wove paper. Against a clean, unadorned white background, several small, tadpole-like organic forms swim urgently across the pictorial space, headed towards an unseen finish line. The stark contrast between the velvety black ink and the pristine paper base enhances the graphic immediacy of this compelling composition.

By rendering these simple larval figures alongside the triumphant handwritten declaration "We Won The Race", Shrigley highlights the inherent absurdity of human competition and biological destiny. This text, written in the artist's signature faux-naive capital letters, transforms a microscopic evolutionary process into a comic celebration of existential survival. The delicate, hand-bitten lines of the etching process infuse these minimal organisms with a surprising sense of vulnerability and individual character.

David Shrigley

Nominated for the Turner Prize in 2013, David Shrigley has carved out a unique position in contemporary art through his dry humour and satirical drawings. His celebrated public commissions, notably the monumental Really Good thumb sculpture for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, alongside his election as a Royal Academician, have cemented his status as a major cultural commentator. Today, his work is held in permanent collections worldwide, including Tate London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Translating the immediacy of his sketchbook ink drawings into formal editions allows the artist to democratise his subversive vision for a global audience. Each David Shrigley print acts as a pocket of resistance against the self-seriousness of the traditional art world, preserving the energetic, spontaneous quality of his original drawings. This translation from raw paper to fine art edition remains central to his widespread international appeal.

Screenprint Process

Utilising traditional intaglio techniques rather than his more common screenprint methods, this etching showcases the artist's engagement with classic printmaking. While his typical screenprint editions utilise multiple flat colour layers and occasional varnish overlays on Somerset paper, this particular work relies on a singular, deep black ink plate to achieve its stark graphic clarity. This physical depth offers a compelling contrast to the flat graphic surfaces usually associated with modern screenprints.

Printed in Copenhagen by the master printers at Schaefer Grafisk Værksted, the production values elevate the simple drawing into a museum-quality object. Working closely with the studio, the artist ensures that every hand-pulled David Shrigley limited edition print retains the delicate variations and energetic scratchmarks of the original zinc plate. This meticulous attention to the intaglio process preserves the raw, human touch that defines his celebrated oeuvre.

Collectability

Driven by a highly active global collector interest, works featuring the artist's signature combination of dark wit and text command significant attention on the secondary market. The recognisable imagery of his minimalist creatures and deadpan captions makes his graphic editions instantly identifiable to contemporary art enthusiasts. Consequently, acquisition opportunities for his smaller-scale, text-driven works remain highly competitive.

Representing a highly sought-after animal motif from his celebrated 2020 Schaefer Grafisk Værksted printmaking period, the piece remains a particularly desirable example of Shrigley's printmaking practice. Due to the exceptionally small edition size of just 20 proofs, this print offers a level of scarcity rarely seen in his larger commercial releases. As a result, this work enjoys continued collector interest from those seeking his most exclusive graphic editions.