More information
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David Shrigley
His
work
has been exhibited widely throughout Europe, the U.S. and Australia,
and his texts have recently been set to music by indie rock artists on
the album Worried Noodles.
About the Author
—
Sarah
Zimmerman is an editorial intern at Print and currently working to get her MA in
Arts Journalism from Syracuse University's Newhouse School of
Communications with a focus in design.
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What We're Reading: Red Book
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by Sarah Zimmerman
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What’s black and white and
red
all over? David Shrigley’s latest read, Red Book. The hard-to-miss bright red
paperback is a
continuation of Shrigley’s pokerfaced scrawls depicting everyday observations,
thoughts and some not-so-common comments on life’s little adventures. Fans will
be in their glory, and newcomers with an appreciation for dark wit and
child-like doodles will find a new addiction.
Uncouth is not quite the
word to describe Shrigley’s work, though his strange world waivers on crude
while offering plenty of sailor speak and nudity. Ultimately, it’s
purposeful—and downright hilarious, as demonstrated in this rather touching
one-page memo:
“Dear Arm,
Please do as I say from now
on. I am in charge. You are not in charge.
Sincerely,
The Brain.”
Another passage consists of
a simple line drawing of an egg in a vice and reads: “Egg in a vice. I am
optimistic about the future of the egg.”
Broken into four
chapters—Familiarity,
Stupid Idea, God, and Enough—Red Book is a guilty pleasure that leaves you,
oddly
enough, jaunty and ready for more.
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Reader Comments
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w
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By
jsphillips
November 10, 2011
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