David Shrigley|Human Behaviour & Animals & Existentialism

This was Shrig Shop's first collection of limited-edition posters, released almost exactly a year after Shrigley and Nicolai Wallner, his gallerist and long-time friend, opened the shop in Copenhagen in April 2021.

Drawings first shared online

The eight images began as drawings in black ink on paper, and several had already appeared on Instagram in the numbered 'Messages from D.S.' posts before they became posters. 'Do Not Eat Him' was posted in October 2021 with the line "Do not eat him. He is intelligent and special." 'Monkey Isn't Thinking About You' followed days later. 'I Received a Clonk to the Head' appeared in February 2022, where the full sentence runs on: "I received a clonk to the head and I was an idiot no longer."

Since the originals are black ink on white paper, the posters reproduce them in the same two tones, each image set within a margin of bare paper.

Two sets, one title

The title simply joins the names of the two sets. 'Human Behaviour' turns to human conduct, with instructions and apologies such as 'Do Not Fuck About With It' and 'I Mean No Disrespect'. 'Animals & Existentialism' hands the deadpan lines to animals, from the creature in 'Do Not Eat Him' to a monkey who is indifferent to the viewer. His work is often read as satire on everyday situations and human interactions, and here the animals deliver it.

What came next

In October 2022 Shrig Shop followed with 'Colour & Text', eight posters taken from Shrigley's paintings rather than his drawings, in the same edition size. In March 2023 'Black & White Collection #2' went back to black and white, again with eight posters. It raised the edition to 350 and limited buyers to one poster per design, so that more people could buy them.