Artist David Shrigley: “You’re on the right track if you’re excited about what you’re doing.”

“You’re on the right track if you’re excited about what you’re doing.” Artist David Shrigley, known for his humorous spin on common situations, here advises his young colleagues to be open to learning from mistakes and stresses that being an artist “isn’t for everybody.”
Drugs and alcohol should be kept apart from the art making process: “If you’re well-rested, sober and well-fed, you can usually trust your instincts about what you’re doing.” Moreover, it’s important to remember that making art isn’t always fun: “It’s not like eating cake or something that’s really sensually pleasurable. It does require hard work … and you can work hard and still not make art that’s any good.”
David Shrigley (b. 1968) is a British visual artist, perhaps best known for his distinctive drawing style and works that make satirical comments on everyday situations and human interactions. Shrigley works across a range of media including large-scale installation, animation, painting, photography, music and sculpture. He has held solo exhibitions at venues such as Stephen Friedman Gallery in London, Galerie Yvon Lambert in Paris, Transmission Gallery in Glasgow and Galleri Nicolai Wallner in Copenhagen, and his works are included in prominent collections internationally, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Art Institute of Chicago and National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. In 2013, Shrigley was a Turner Prize nominee. He is based in Brighton, England. For more about him see: www.davidshrigley.com/
David Shrigley was interviewed by Christian Lund at Galleri Nicolai Wallner, Copenhagen in January 2016 in connection to his exhibition ‘Coloured Works on Paper’.
Camera: Simon Weyhe
Edited by: Klaus Elmer
Produced by: Christian Lund
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2016

[@astridworonczak]

"the artwork is the residue of a process" - well put

[@jeffhildreth9244]

astrid... You might consider the definition of "residue".

[@andrewhoward5244]

I agree, Astrid - this was terrific advice, and a great lens to use when working.

[@eugenenomarch4285]

"well put" - well placed

[@FishingtonBurpPuzzle]

This guy is so balanced, no nonsense and mentally disciplined. His work looks like everything is thrown together without thinking or caring, yet at the heart of it is some profound or hilarious truth.

[@nicolasb.henry294]

Discipline is everything. It helps you to stay focus

[@Kvasiraz]

As I say, love what your doing more than what you're creating. Your creations come and go but the process is what's always there.

[@sheldondrake8935]

someone once told me 'i hate painting but I can't stop doing it'. understood. a long skitter of dread and desire that ends with a brief clang of the bell, then you have to do it again...

[@Rufusdos]

I like his voice. I'm a university linguistics person with a specialisation in pronunciation. David Shrigley and Matthew Paris are my favourites for RP, among men.

[@JoojieXD]

it's very crisp huh

[@marwanb3]

"Making art is not like eating cake"

[@elanaphi]

Lovely! Thank you!

[@MartaBorysevych]

Thank you for these words! ❤️🙏🙂

[@lilacosmanthus]

I recommend viewing this video at 1.25x speed.

[@footcharaf]

young and fast

[@fredfranzen8696]

Erin Indigo Osmanthus

[@cravis123]

:)))

[@thehearingaid]

I'd go for 0.75 for a journey.

[@pphedup]

Try 2X.

[@lalewilan]

Thank you!

[@gayedavies2797]

There is no hurry....if you live life too fast ....you grow old fast.......I am 59 and I struggle with my tiny space but I will get it done....I work hard sometimes and other times I suffer.....I learn by doing ......

[@JohnsArtLife]

Do what YOU love, if all else fails, at least you loved what you did. 😊

[@margarets4610]

I’m a huge fan!♥️

[@socialdistance.forever4744]

Very good advice. You are not a selfish artist and your words very honest. I like what you said about smoking weed🤣🤣🤣👍. No I don't smoke.

[@jaylucas8352]

I love weed

[@corlisscrabtree3647]

Thank you

[@raebraebla]

1:55 ‘I don’t think you have to make any big decisions until you are 30 anyway.’ 😱 Omg me panicking here after just turning 30. Save me.

[@87Harmony]

There are plenty of examples of people being successful decades later than 30..don't stress too much. Going within for guidance is what I would suggest. 💕

[@genevieveprefontaine7810]

😂😂 relax… I’m starting art school at 50… it’s your life, make your own path… who cares about some timeline in someone else’s head!

[@jaylucas8352]

Our entire existence is a tiny snow globe compared to the universe, release your burdens

[@dylangrove3214]

ha same

[@LeoEhrlich]

Big fan of Shrigley work

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Why ?

[@stuartdriedger9989]

how did he afford all those frames?

[@michaelhaasjes8066]

focusing on doing the work is good advice

[@dimitrilikissas]

This is easy to say, but if you have nowhere to put the works, for who are you doing the work?

[@dimitrilikissas]

Sometimes being in the studio is a chore. I loved to work on a painting, there's the excitement of seeing the finished piece, but I can't spend too long on it because then it's a drag and it becomes a job. I don't want a job.

[@wilpryormusic]

🔥🔥🔥❤️

[@Mintzoid]

interesting minimalist artwork in the background

[@JoojieXD]

naive

[@SaintOsburh]

I'd say David Shrigley has been very very lucky.

[@sincubator]

I agree, it's nice when you and all your friends who are all famous artists can just dish out advice, but not everyone was born a posh Englishman. That being said though there was some good (albeit obvious) advice in there.

[@dimitrilikissas]

@@sincubator He probably made it through making Instagram memes

[@charlie_6644]

Eyy hes the dude who created that swan thing 😀

[@visuallanguage]

"Young artists"... that question and frame leaves out alot of artists. Please ask for more than that group.

[@cliffdariff74]

yes it has to be challenging...

[@elizabethoneill9572]

we are all "residue of the process"

[@jaylucas8352]

Residue of a horny father

[@lilacosmanthus]

What if everyone's really good and focused on the process? Then what happens?

[@kai-dr2le]

Then you keep going. Art is the test of ones will. Even after “success” you keep going no matter what

[@pphedup]

Luck?

[@tompearce6312]

It depends if you're talking about making it or developing for your own satisfaction I guess

[@averyhenhawk]

i didnt know toby flenderson made art

[@willalwaystelehandler8450]

Young painters artist take your time don't rush to get rich and famous to young Take your time , ,,Don't take no advice of anyone do your thing,

[@jaylucas8352]

This sounds like advice

[@anushnayak5911]

Elon musk and this guy speak in a very similar way

[@clamda]

what about making art when you're smoking alcohol and drinking weed?

[@rrdd8457]

+clamda i see what you did

[@radminasrauba4344]

i assed my laugh off , thanks!

[@justenjoydesign]

what do you mean?

[@pphedup]

Good weed helps.

[@AverySuzuki]

wasnt francis bacon drunk all the time when he painted...?

[@pphedup]

And Rothko and De Kooonig and Pollok...lots of the greats.

[@andeyeyou8097]

yeah i thought that was a reaaallllllyy judgemental opinion

[@thefxbip315]

He drank a lot but (almost) never painted while being drunk.

[@Joecasso701]

He had me untill he said don't smoke weed 😂😂😂 👹🤙

[@jakeband8177]

fall asleep and never wake up

[@dallassegno]

the real mystery is how he afforded all those frames

[@raphaelna1]

He's an artist.

[@in9463]

A possiblity is that the framer gets a portion of the sold works, as David is quite sought after. Maybe the framer has a deal with the gallery, in which they recieve portions of their profits etc etc. Doesn't necessarily need to be paid for in advance.

[@Ac3p3rgAA]

making art is very fullfilling - having nothing to eat and no money for material sucks :( also you can make great art all your life and still be unknown underrated and poor

[@naregm5492]

great advice but you'll find most of your favorite and great artists abused one substance or another...

[@eddiecaplan1908]

My advice to the young would be, most important, 1. Learn that everything you percieve to be^cool^, trendy, etc, was done by the older generations many years before you discovered it!!, 2., never follow fashion,or trends, create your own!, resist being tempted towards any new tech gadgets, brand named clothing,....do not be a sheep., or a clone, or a person without imagination, smoking weed and all that shit....if you must, but grow out of it as soon as possible!, when you look back , you will appreciate why😀, its called ^dope^ for a reason!, it makes you slow, alters your perception of reality, ...and you stink!!!!, .....other than that, follow your creative urges, learn to design and make the things you like, whether its animation, films, clothing, bikes, furniture...........meet other poeple that have the same skills, ....look up how to do....on youtube, teach yourself, then maybe you can help and teach others, as a former young person, my favorite moments in life have always been helped by my lively curious mind, and creative skills, all learned just by asking questions, and listening, 😀

[@jeanhentz]

thank you eddie caplan i'm much appreciated!

[@pphedup]

In a perfect world.

[@brooksbergeron7004]

Because you need to slow it down. He is also 2.5 million rich after life's work. Hmm. Just work. Do the work.

[@sebastientanguay4866]

Funny how he emphasizes on the importance of hard work. Especially when you look at his paintings.

[@pphedup]

Are you being sarcastic? LOL

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Sebastian....I believe the hard work is the number of pieces he does and tosses to get what finally goes on the wall.

[@jaylucas8352]

The epitome of not hard work paintings 🤷‍♂😳good for him

[@andrinholzer3542]

hallo

[@hund1267]

hallo

[@JJ66888]

Bye

[@pphedup]

...and if you're a bad artist, you can succeed.

[@nononouh]

1:15 3;23

[@spinningelectrons]

he swallows too hard...

[@dantebaravelli323]

Giorgia o keefe

[@YellowhatDick]

Advice to the Young; You don't need advice

[@JJ66888]

Thats not clever

[@emreakal4435]

He destroyed it with the "Age of 30" Because Art has no Age!

[@mihoando3813]

God fits in the hole of your heart, dearie.

[@mihoando3813]

Jesus is god.

[@benksy96]

zzzzzzzz

[@edwardwhittaker5728]

Is it meant to be hilariously dumb? Er...guess so.

[@robradical7213]

He is one of the dullest people I have ever had to listen to.

[@perditachavez]

please fuck off :)

[@margarets4610]

Nonsense