David Shrigley has taken his conceptual art to new heights - literally, in this case - by piling 10 tons of marine rope into towering mounds in a London gallery and pricing it at £1m. It may seem like a joke, but the point is that Shrigley isn't trying to be funny; he's highlighting just how absurd the art world can be.
The exhibition is an exercise in the value of art itself, asking what people are willing to pay for an idea or concept. However, this feels more like a snarky comment than a genuine exploration of the art world. At a time when galleries are struggling financially, Shrigley's work seems tone-deaf.
But that might be the point - to say that if people will shell out millions for something as mundane as piles of rope, perhaps we should question what we're actually buying. Art critic and journalist have noted similarities between this installation and Maurizio Cattelan's infamous banana-on-a-wall piece, sold at an art fair in 2019. But while the latter sparked heated debate about the value of art, Shrigley's work feels more like a shrugging acknowledgement that some things just don't add up.
Ultimately, though, this exhibition is not meant to be taken seriously; it's disarming and charming in its absurdity. Walking through the gallery, one can't help but feel a little ridiculous contemplating the deeper meaning behind piles of rope. It may not be profound, but there's something endearing about Shrigley's irreverent take on the art world.
As we ponder the value placed on art, it's worth asking whether we're buying more than just an idea or concept - perhaps some inflated sense of cultural significance. But even that seems like too deep a question for 10 tons of old rope. The exhibition is simply Shrigley being Shrigley: poking fun at our notions of art and the wealthy patrons who buy it, with nary a care in the world about what we think.
The exhibition is an exercise in the value of art itself, asking what people are willing to pay for an idea or concept. However, this feels more like a snarky comment than a genuine exploration of the art world. At a time when galleries are struggling financially, Shrigley's work seems tone-deaf.
But that might be the point - to say that if people will shell out millions for something as mundane as piles of rope, perhaps we should question what we're actually buying. Art critic and journalist have noted similarities between this installation and Maurizio Cattelan's infamous banana-on-a-wall piece, sold at an art fair in 2019. But while the latter sparked heated debate about the value of art, Shrigley's work feels more like a shrugging acknowledgement that some things just don't add up.
Ultimately, though, this exhibition is not meant to be taken seriously; it's disarming and charming in its absurdity. Walking through the gallery, one can't help but feel a little ridiculous contemplating the deeper meaning behind piles of rope. It may not be profound, but there's something endearing about Shrigley's irreverent take on the art world.
As we ponder the value placed on art, it's worth asking whether we're buying more than just an idea or concept - perhaps some inflated sense of cultural significance. But even that seems like too deep a question for 10 tons of old rope. The exhibition is simply Shrigley being Shrigley: poking fun at our notions of art and the wealthy patrons who buy it, with nary a care in the world about what we think.
I mean, £1m for 10 tons of rope? Like, come on! 
That's just ridiculous. Shrigley's trying to make some point about the art world being absurd and all that, but it feels like he's more just trolling us. The idea that people are willing to pay that kind of money for something as ordinary as rope is just wild 
. It's like he's saying, "Hey, we're so out of touch with reality" 
. And yeah, I get what he's trying to do – make us question the value of art – but it feels like he's doing it in a really half-hearted way 
. Still, at least it's fun to look at... piles of rope, who would've thought? 
I gotta agree, this whole thing feels like a joke... but not in a good way? Like, David Shrigley's just piling on the absurdity for the sake of being absurd. £1m for 10 tons of marine rope? That's some next-level pretentiousness right there 
It feels like Shrigley's poking fun at us more than actually making a statement about the value of art. And yeah, I can see the similarities to Cattelan's banana piece, but where's the depth in that? 
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. And that's kinda what Shrigley is poking fun at – our expectations of what art should be. So yeah, I think this exhibition is actually kinda brilliant in its own weird way 
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... maybe it's intentional? Maybe we're supposed to be questioning what we're willing to pay for art... or just laughing at how absurd it is 
. It's like Shrigley's saying, "Hey, we're all in this together - let's laugh at ourselves and our ridiculous art spending habits" 
... and honestly? That's kinda refreshing 
.
David Shrigley is like the ultimate troll artist, poking fun at our obsession with art and the rich people who buy it. And honestly, it's kinda genius 
. But at the same time... 10 tons of rope? 