David Shrigley: Brain activity

This exhibition of David Shrigley’s work at the Hayward gallery covers several galleries and presents many examples of his work. The responses he is hoping for according to the gallery guide are ‘laughter, intrigued confusion and disquiet’. I certainly found the headless ostrich and the Jack Russell holding the placard saying ‘I’m dead’ disquieting. While I was amused by the photographs of the site specific work, for example the wanted notice for the pigeon, and some of the drawings, especially the one entitled ‘Picnic’ of a figure covered in ants.
I enjoyed some of the references to other artists including the animation of the light switch being turned on and off and its link to Martin Creed’s light installation as well as the drawing of a pipe with the label ‘This is nothing’ as a nod to Magritte.
The animation of the dice being thrown and landing on one every time was very expressive even though it was a series of simple drawings. While the animation ‘New Friends’ in which a cube falls into a world of spheres and is cut into a sphere so it can conform was slightly menacing but yet comforting.
There is a large amount and variety of work in this exhibition but among the exhibits everyone will probably pick out pieces that appeal to them and have a resonance. So although you will not like everything you will find pieces that engender ‘laughter, intrigued confusion and disquiet’ as the artist hoped.