Overview
Stephen Friedman Gallery is pleased to present David Shrigley’s ninth solo exhibition with the gallery, Exhibition of Old Rope, marking over twenty-eight years of fruitful collaboration with the celebrated British artist.
Expanding his conceptual practice, David Shrigley showcases a 10-ton installation made entirely from discarded rope and a large-scale four-part neon.
To create the installation, Shrigley spent months searching the UK for unwanted lengths of rope destined for landfill. Much of the discarded rope previously served maritime purposes, from thick cruise ship mooring lines, to slim cords on marker buoys, longlines and crab and lobster pots. Others have been salvaged from climbing schools, tree surgeons, offshore wind farms, scaffolders and window cleaning firms. Shrigley collected the shorter lengths himself from shorelines across the UK. All gathered rope was treated and cleaned to prepare it for the exhibition — a particularly important step for the rope rescued from the sea.
Expanding his conceptual practice, David Shrigley showcases a 10-ton installation made entirely from discarded rope and a large-scale four-part neon. showcases a 10-ton installation made entirely from discarded rope and a large-scale four-part neon.
To create the installation, Shrigley spent months searching the UK for unwanted lengths of rope destined for landfill. Much of the discarded rope previously served maritime purposes, from thick cruise ship mooring lines, to slim cords on marker buoys, longlines and crab and lobster pots. Others have been salvaged from climbing schools, tree surgeons, offshore wind farms, scaffolders and window cleaning firms. Shrigley collected the shorter lengths himself from shorelines across the UK. All gathered rope was treated and cleaned to prepare it for the exhibition — a particularly important step for the rope rescued from the sea.
The UK has a centuries-old rope-making tradition, from the hemp and jute ropes historically used in fishing and the Royal Navy, to today’s synthetic polyester and nylon lines. These modern materials make marine rope and fishing nets notoriously difficult to recycle and a major environmental issue.
Discussing the origins of this work, Shrigley explains: “This exhibition started with an idiom. Old rope has no use. It’s also hard to recycle, so there’s a lot of it lying around. I thought: what if I turn that into a literal exhibition of old rope. And then say, yes, this is art, and yes, you can buy it for £1 million.” He expands: “The work exists because I’m interested in the value people place on art, and the idiom gave me an excuse to explore that. I think £1 million is a fair price, partly because of the idea and partly because it is quite a lot of rope.”
As a result the gallery is transformed with vast coiled mounds of reclaimed rope, unveiling a myriad of colours, textures, thickness and condition — from almost new to frayed, sun-faded and weather-beaten. Demonstrating his caustic sense of humour, a huge bright orange neon hangs in the window with the exhibition title. Rendered in Shrigley’s distinctive handwriting, the neon adopts the aesthetic of a sign or advertisement as he humorously undermines its formal associations. Exhibition of Old Rope playfully toys with notions of commerce and disrupts the conventions of a commercial gallery.
Stephen Friedman Gallery is pleased to present David Shrigley’s ninth solo exhibition with the gallery, Exhibition of Old Rope, marking over twenty-eight years of fruitful collaboration with the celebrated British artist.
Installation Views
