David Shrigley (b. 1968)

As sculptor, cartoonist, author, film director, animator and designer, David Shrigley has cultivated a unique practice defined by his deadpan comedic flair. He is best known for his whimsical, satirical graphic practice, whose characters have graced the pages of The Guardian’s weekend magazine since 2005, and more recently, the walls of Sketch in London. Whilst (Untitled) Ian exemplifies the artist’s distinctive draughtsmanship, the bronze simulacra Wall Mounted Ear demonstrates his conceptual affinity with Dada and the work of Marcel Duchamp. ‘If it is affixed properly it will remain there, impervious to all manner of vibrations’, the artist explains. ‘The ear is part ornament, part warning sign. The ear is ornament in that it is desirable and nice to look at and may catch the light in an interesting and/or beautiful way. The ear is a warning sign in that it should remind us that we may be being eavesdropped-upon by the authorities who will not tolerate dissent’ (D. Shrigley, www.kw-berlin.de [accessed 10 March 2016]).

A graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, Shrigley’s career was propelled to new heights by his major solo exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, London, in 2012, leading to his nomination for the Turner Prize the following year. He has since held solo exhibitions at institutions including the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, and the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. In July this year, his giant ‘thumbs up’ sculpture Really Good is due to be installed on top of the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.