Horse Plays Bongos
Condition reports and provenance available upon request
About This Work
David Shrigley’s *Horse Plays Bongos* distils his signature deadpan wit into a succinct, graphic image that feels both instantly legible and quietly unsettling. Rendered with Shrigley’s characteristically economical line and pared-back composition, the work stages an absurd vignette—an animal performer mid-rhythm—that prompts questions about spectacle, labour, and the human impulse to project meaning onto the nonhuman. The deliberately naïve draughtsmanship is a sophisticated strategy, echoing the visual language of cartoons and public signage to deliver a critique with disarming clarity. Situated within contemporary British conceptual art, the piece reflects Shrigley’s broader engagement with mass culture, humour, and existential unease, offering a collectible, culturally resonant entry point into his practice.
About the Artist
David John Shrigley (born 17 September 1968) is a British visual artist. He lived and worked in Glasgow, Scotland for 27 years before moving to Brighton, England in 2015. Shrigley first came to prominence in the 1990s for his distinct line drawings, which often deal with witty, surreal and darkly h...
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Contemporary Art • Hampstead, London
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