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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 crudewhile 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.
More information
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David ShrigleyHis 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.