Critical studies

  Amateur and professionalism talk  

After our talk on amateur and professionalism we were asked to find two examples of art exploring this topic, one piece amateur in style and the other in a more professional style. For an artist exploring a more amateur style I'll be looking at the artist David Shrigley OBE. 

One thing that is important to note is that even though some artists have a particularly crude or amateur style that doesn't necessarily mean they aren't a professional artist. 

David Shrigley is a UK based multi media artist, ill be looking more at his painting style as a whole opposed to one particular piece. Shrigley creates these cartoon character like pieces that are paired with odd text and phrases. These pieces are childlike and fun in appearance but also act as social commentary, most are just playing around with simple everyday scenarios but some take on darker or more political tones. In many of his pieces the text is wonky, or brush strokes streaky and visible but despite not conforming to the traditional ideas of skill his work is still extremely successful. This childlike messy playfulness is what comes together to make Shrigley's personal style, he creates these pieces with the intent and understanding, he isn't polite or worried about it being pretty or making sense to everyone, these things along with other factors come together to make him a professional successful artist despite his non conformist style. David Shrigley was awarded an OBE in 2020 for his services in Visual arts, thus showing further his professional success and reinforcing the point that professionalism and skill in art isn't solely defined by traditional standards and ideas anymore.