Before you can entertain is an original artwork by David Shrigley and a signature print by the Englishman. David Shrigley’s quick-witted drawings and hand-rendered text are typically deadpan in their humor, revealing random utterances like snippets of overheard conversations. Recurring themes and thoughts run through his narratives, capturing childlike views of the world, the perspective of aliens and monsters, or the compulsive habits of a loud-screaming eavesdropper. While drawing is central to his practice, Shrigley also works in a wide range of media, including sculpture, large-scale installation, animation, painting, photography, and music. Shrigley is always looking to expand his audience by operating outside the gallery sphere, including through the production of artist publications and collaborative music projects.

David Shrigley’s works are held in major international collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA; the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois, USA; the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany; the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany; the Statens Museum für Kunst, Copenhagen, Denmark; the Thyssen-Bornemisza Foundation for Contemporary Art, Vienna, Austria; the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, Scotland; the Tate, London, England; and the British Council, London, England; the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.