David Shrigley has taken a clever concept - literally buying up a ton of old rope and putting it on display in a posh London gallery - to its logical conclusion, or rather, to its absurd extreme. His new installation at the Mayfair gallery is an unapologetically tongue-in-cheek send-up of conceptual art, which often prioritizes big statements over actual content.
Shrigley's work typically features deadpan, witty visual one-liners that are easy to understand and humorous. This latest piece is no exception, albeit in a slightly different way. Rather than cleverly crafted paintings or scathing social commentary, we're presented with 10 tons of old rope, its value signposted at £1 million.
To an extent, the artwork works as intended - it's funny because it's so obvious and over-the-top. One can almost imagine Shrigley shrugging and saying, "Look, I've just piled up some old rope. What's to think about?" The execution is certainly impressive, with towering mounds of marine rope dominating the space.
However, there's a deeper issue at play here - namely that this work can be seen as a commentary on the value we place on art itself. Art has traditionally been about expressing ideas or telling stories in new and innovative ways, but what happens when those ideas are so straightforward and unobjectionable that they become virtually worthless? Is it still worth paying millions for?
This conundrum is somewhat undercut by the fact that the gallery where Shrigley's work is being displayed is struggling financially. One can almost imagine him raising an eyebrow at this irony, as if to say, "You lot would pay a pretty penny for anything with a bit of pretension attached."
Maurizio Cattelan, another notable artist known for his irreverent style, famously sold a banana on the wall for thousands of dollars back in 2019. However, times are different now, and the art market is significantly less boisterous than it once was.
Despite all this, Shrigley's work remains disarmingly charming and funny, albeit in a rather awkward way. It's almost impossible not to be drawn into its absurdity and pick apart the conceptual threads (if one can even say that this artwork has them). In the end, though, that might just be part of its charm.
This piece is, at its core, about something fairly simple: old rope. And it's kind of great to see someone embracing that simplicity so unapologetically.
Shrigley's work typically features deadpan, witty visual one-liners that are easy to understand and humorous. This latest piece is no exception, albeit in a slightly different way. Rather than cleverly crafted paintings or scathing social commentary, we're presented with 10 tons of old rope, its value signposted at £1 million.
To an extent, the artwork works as intended - it's funny because it's so obvious and over-the-top. One can almost imagine Shrigley shrugging and saying, "Look, I've just piled up some old rope. What's to think about?" The execution is certainly impressive, with towering mounds of marine rope dominating the space.
However, there's a deeper issue at play here - namely that this work can be seen as a commentary on the value we place on art itself. Art has traditionally been about expressing ideas or telling stories in new and innovative ways, but what happens when those ideas are so straightforward and unobjectionable that they become virtually worthless? Is it still worth paying millions for?
This conundrum is somewhat undercut by the fact that the gallery where Shrigley's work is being displayed is struggling financially. One can almost imagine him raising an eyebrow at this irony, as if to say, "You lot would pay a pretty penny for anything with a bit of pretension attached."
Maurizio Cattelan, another notable artist known for his irreverent style, famously sold a banana on the wall for thousands of dollars back in 2019. However, times are different now, and the art market is significantly less boisterous than it once was.
Despite all this, Shrigley's work remains disarmingly charming and funny, albeit in a rather awkward way. It's almost impossible not to be drawn into its absurdity and pick apart the conceptual threads (if one can even say that this artwork has them). In the end, though, that might just be part of its charm.
This piece is, at its core, about something fairly simple: old rope. And it's kind of great to see someone embracing that simplicity so unapologetically.
like why would anyone pay £1 million for just a ton of old rope?! 
is it supposed to be some deep commentary on the value of art or something? i mean, isn't that kinda the point where art becomes useless if its all just obvious and stuff? 
also can someone explain what "postmodern" means in this context? like, is this a thing now? 
! He's like, literally taking the absurdity of conceptual art to its ridiculous extreme 
. I mean, who wouldn't laugh at 10 tons of old rope just sitting there, with a price tag of £1 million? 
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And honestly, that's a pretty great message.
️. But hey, at least it's adding some drama to the piece! 
. I love how it raises questions about what we value in art these days – are we willing to pay top dollar for something that's just...there? It's like he's saying, "Hey, don't worry, I've got a brilliant idea! Let me just wrap this stuff up and sell you on the idea that it's worth something!" 
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. £1 million for 10 tons of it? That's either hilarious or a scathing commentary on our society's priorities, I'm not sure which 
. It's so refreshingly straightforward and funny that you can't help but laugh at its absurdity 
. Sometimes you just need to take things too far (like Shrigley's rope installation) to make a point or provoke some thought 
. Either way, it's been doing its job – getting people talking about the value of art in our society 
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. And let's be real, who needs all that complexity when you can just stare at 10 tons of old rope? 
Anyway, I think Shrigley's work is still pretty charming and funny, even if it is a bit awkward at times 
. It's like Shrigley is saying, "Hey, art doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, sometimes just being ridiculous is enough." And you know what? That's kind of refreshing 
. I think we often get caught up in trying too hard to make a statement and lose sight of the fact that sometimes, it's okay to just chill and be silly. So yeah, this art thing might be weird, but at least it's making us think about what's truly important 
. It's hilarious because it's so obvious, but also thought-provoking in its own way. Is art still worth millions if it's just, like, old rope? 
. I do wish he'd explore some of those deeper themes a bit more though... still, it's a masterclass in absurdity 
. It's like he's saying, "Hey, if you're gonna pay millions for something with pretension, at least make sure your gallery is stable first!" 
. And hey, who doesn't love old rope? It's like the ultimate symbol of simplicity and humility