Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead

David Shrigley's Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead (2022) is a quintessential example of his darkly comedic wit. With stark black hand-painted lettering on white paper, the work initially invokes joy with the famous line “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead,” only to quickly pivot into melancholy with the confessional twist: “I am very sad, I was in love with the witch.” This emotional whiplash turns the viewer’s expectation on its head, transforming a cultural cliché into a personal tragedy. Like much of Shrigley's work, it’s disarmingly simple and hilariously existential.