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ihate human beings, polar bear (2022) is a limited edition screenprint by david shrigley featuring a simply drawn polar bear alongside the blunt declaration “hate human beings”. printed in 10 colours without a varnish overlay, the work uses the familiar combination of animal imagery and deadpan text that has become such a distinctive part of shrigley’s visual language.
like shrigley’s otter print of the same title, the humour comes from the contrast between the innocent-looking animal and the unexpectedly blunt statement. this time, though, the polar bear gives the work a slightly different feel. whether intentionally or not, it’s difficult not to think about humanity’s relationship with the natural world, which adds another layer beneath the joke.
what i like is that the print works whether you read it simply as a funny image or as something with a little more meaning. shrigley leaves that decision entirely to the viewer. the statement is deliberately straightforward, but placing it alongside a polar bear inevitably invites you to think about what the animal might be saying — and whether the joke is quite as simple as it first appears.
for me, that’s one of the strengths of shrigley’s work. the best pieces are entertaining at first glance but continue to reveal themselves the longer you spend with them. hate human beings, polar bear has that quality: it’s immediately funny, but the choice of animal gives the work an additional dimension.
the simplicity of the drawing is also typical of shrigley’s approach. a few expressive lines, a recognisable animal and a short piece of text are enough to create an image with considerable personality. the result feels spontaneous and slightly absurd, while still leaving room for the viewer to find their own meaning.
david shrigley has developed one of the most distinctive visual languages in contemporary british art, combining loose drawing, deadpan humour and observations of everyday life. his work has attracted an international audience across contemporary art, design and popular culture, while his limited edition prints form an important part of his wider practice.
hate human beings, polar bear is an edition of 125 and is presented in mint condition, unframed and retained in its original sealed packaging as issued by the publisher. the print has never been framed or displayed.
collection: luck 02
medium: 10-colour screenprint without a varnish overlay
paper: somerset satin tub sized 410gsm
edition: edition of 125
dimensions: 76 × 56 cm
signature: signed
condition: mint
framing: unframed
packaging: retained in the original sealed packaging as issued by the publisher
display history: never framed or displayed
delivery
complimentary personal delivery is available within brighton & hove. for uk and international orders, we arrange appropriate specialist art delivery and can provide fully insured, tracked delivery where required.
delivery is additional to the artwork price.
please contact us for a quotation before purchasing.
ihate human beings, polar bear (2022) is a limited edition screenprint by david shrigley featuring a simply drawn polar bear alongside the blunt declaration “hate human beings”. printed in 10 colours without a varnish overlay, the work uses the familiar combination of animal imagery and deadpan text that has become such a distinctive part of shrigley’s visual language.
like shrigley’s otter print of the same title, the humour comes from the contrast between the innocent-looking animal and the unexpectedly blunt statement. this time, though, the polar bear gives the work a slightly different feel. whether intentionally or not, it’s difficult not to think about humanity’s relationship with the natural world, which adds another layer beneath the joke.
what i like is that the print works whether you read it simply as a funny image or as something with a little more meaning. shrigley leaves that decision entirely to the viewer. the statement is deliberately straightforward, but placing it alongside a polar bear inevitably invites you to think about what the animal might be saying — and whether the joke is quite as simple as it first appears.
for me, that’s one of the strengths of shrigley’s work. the best pieces are entertaining at first glance but continue to reveal themselves the longer you spend with them. hate human beings, polar bear has that quality: it’s immediately funny, but the choice of animal gives the work an additional dimension.
the simplicity of the drawing is also typical of shrigley’s approach. a few expressive lines, a recognisable animal and a short piece of text are enough to create an image with considerable personality. the result feels spontaneous and slightly absurd, while still leaving room for the viewer to find their own meaning.
david shrigley has developed one of the most distinctive visual languages in contemporary british art, combining loose drawing, deadpan humour and observations of everyday life. his work has attracted an international audience across contemporary art, design and popular culture, while his limited edition prints form an important part of his wider practice.
hate human beings, polar bear is an edition of 125 and is presented in mint condition, unframed and retained in its original sealed packaging as issued by the publisher. the print has never been framed or displayed.
collection: luck 02
medium: 10-colour screenprint without a varnish overlay
paper: somerset satin tub sized 410gsm
edition: edition of 125
dimensions: 76 × 56 cm
signature: signed
condition: mint
framing: unframed
packaging: retained in the original sealed packaging as issued by the publisher
display history: never framed or displayed
delivery
complimentary personal delivery is available within brighton & hove. for uk and international orders, we arrange appropriate specialist art delivery and can provide fully insured, tracked delivery where required.
delivery is additional to the artwork price.
please contact us for a quotation before purchasing.