Cornerhouse Digital Reporter Laura Parky ventures into the world of David Shrigley…
I must say, I’ve never visited an exhibition quite like David Shrigley’s HOW ARE YOU FEELING? His work spans all three floors of Cornerhouse’s galleries and displays his trademark sketches and witty humour that I have grown to love. His work, focusing on the human mind and self-help therapy, combines hilarious drawings, comical sketches and do-it-yourself activities all in one space.
In Gallery 1 the interactive nature is instantly noticeable by the white board that you, the gallery-goer, is invited to demonstrate your own artistic talent on, paired by the seemingly misplaced napping station whereby you are invited to take a break from the everyday stresses of life. Most of this work requires you to make them function. Guaranteed to be entertaining from the beginning!
The second floor is by far my favourite, with Shrigley’s comedy slapstick drawings scattered all over the walls; you appear just to have walked into a child’s bedroom, or the unorganised workspace of an artist. However, what appear to be simple sketches hold a clever twist on society’s issues which affect a lot people on a daily basis. Stepping into the world of David Shrigley makes me feel somewhat relaxed, in an isolated bubble from life’s run-of-the-mill hassles.
Gallery 3 holds a large sculpture of a naked young man, where you’re invited to sketch the model and create their own artwork. The sketches line the walls, like a continuous art class streaming through the space, adding to the fun. Looking at the sketches on the walls, people haven’t simply replicated the work of Shrigley, but have taken their own approach, which again opens your eyes to the diverse nature of society. The space also hosts a play and acting area, where groups of three people are invited to construct their own play based in a bank manager’s office and an artist’s studio. Although I am not one for acting, watching other people was well worth it, and brought the audience together! Combining these two fairly different settings into one play seems to me like Shrigley is showing the difficulties of the artist’s working world, which some of us know all too well. Humorous, yet hard-hitting.
Shrigley’s show is definitely worth a visit, especially if you’re having a bad day and need a bit of a giggle. I spent hours laughing at the witty sketches and amusing activities, whilst taking a moment to ponder the seriousness inside the humour. If you allow his work to be more than just a barrel of laughs, you can come out with a changed outlook on life.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING? runs in Galleries 1,2 and 3 until Sun 6 Jan.