Turner Prize ’13: David Shrigley

Ever since it’s establishment in 1984, the Turner Prize has become possibly the most colloquial yet controversial award for the visual arts, having previously been won by Damien Hirst and Antony Gormley, as well as being drunkenly discussed on live television by Tracey Emin.

In the run up to the Turner Prize being announced on December 2 four Arts & Culture contributors give introductions to the four nominees of 2013. This week Jack Sheen introduces David Shrigley…

Shrigley was born in Macclesfield in 1968 and now currently lives and works in Glasgow. His work manifests itself within a variety of medias, however he is mostly known for his series of bizarre cartoons released in postcard packs. They seem to flirt with the idea of absurdity in subject matter, presentation and technique. His drawings often bizarerly depict the seemingly pedestrian and inconsequential everyday occurrences,but with an unusual twist. His freehand drawing is purposely lacking in detail, strength or virtuosity, yet is often contrasted with the stark, clinical use of rulered straight lines, creating an unsettling presentation of his subject.

Shrigley’s work also displays a very critical and self aware engagement with contemporary art and its public perception, often playing with the everyday questions of ‘is it art?’. His exhibition opens with a 7ft naked male model, as crudely constructed as his freakish cartoons, creating a life class scenario where visitors can sit down and attempt to draw his already subtly distorted figure. Many already have, with the many further misrepresentations of the human form lining the walls of the constantly evolving exhibition of possibly the most exciting and talked about artist nominated this year.