In a bold move that questions the very nature of artistic value, Turner Prize-nominated artist David Shrigley has created a monumental installation composed entirely of discarded rope, which he's confidently priced at £1 million. The provocative work forms a solo public exhibition where the massive rope pile stands as the only piece on display.
From Idiom to Installation
The exhibition, titled 'Exhibition Of Old Rope', finds its conceptual roots in the common English saying 'money for old rope'. Shrigley spent months travelling across the United Kingdom, gathering unwanted rope materials that had outlived their original purpose. 'This exhibition started with an idiom,' Shrigley explained. 'Old rope has no use. It's also hard to recycle, so there's a lot of it lying around.'
The artist's simple yet profound thought process led to the creation of this work: 'I thought, what if I turn that into a literal exhibition of old rope? And then say, yes, this is art, and yes, you can buy it for £1 million.'
The Monumental Scale of Discarded Materials
The collected rope represents an astonishing variety of sources and scales, creating a comprehensive survey of Britain's discarded cordage. The collection includes:
- Massive cruise liner mooring lines
- Delicate cords from crab and lobster pots
- Materials salvaged from climbing schools and tree surgeons
- Rope from offshore wind farms and scaffolding companies
- Supplies from window cleaning firms
Shrigley personally collected shorter lengths from shorelines around the UK coastline. After gathering this diverse collection, each piece underwent treatment and cleaning at his studio before being assembled into the final installation.
The sheer physical dimensions of the work are staggering. If laid out from end to end, the rope would stretch for 20 miles. The total weight reaches 10 tonnes, making it heavier than the average African bush elephant.
Questioning Value and Artistic Merit
At the heart of this unconventional exhibition lies a deeper inquiry into how society determines artistic worth. 'The work exists because I'm interested in the value people place on art, and the idiom gave me an excuse to explore that,' Shrigley stated.
When questioned about the ambitious £1 million price tag, the artist remained firm in his valuation: 'I think £1 million is a fair price, partly because of the idea and partly because it is quite a lot of rope.'
This isn't Shrigley's first major public artwork. The Brighton-based artist, born in Macclesfield in 1968, previously created the prominent thumb sculpture 'Really Good' for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in September 2016. That sculpture later travelled to Melbourne, Australia for the NGV Triennial in 2023.
Shrigley has previously explored similar themes of exchange and value through works like his 'Tennis Ball Exchange' installation, where visitors could trade old tennis balls for new ones, gradually transforming the exhibition through participation.
The 'Exhibition Of Old Rope' will run at the Stephen Friedman Gallery in London from November 13 to December 20. Meanwhile, the artist continues to maintain an active exhibition schedule, with 'What the Hell Was I Thinking?' scheduled to open at Kunsthal Rotterdam in the Netherlands in December 2025.
