DAVID Shrigley has been announced as guest director of Brighton Festival 2018.

The Brighton-based artist follows in the footsteps of musician Kate Tempest who held the role this year.

Shrigley’s work mainly revolves around drawing but he has also created sculptures, paintings, animation and music. He is known for the dark humour of his art which often explores the madness of everyday life.

The 49-year-old, who was born in Macclesfield, was nominated for the prestigious Turner Prize in 2013 and last year his seven metre sculpture of a thumbs up, entitled Really Good, stood on Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth.

The artist said the Brighton Festival guest director role was extra special because of his links with Brighton.

He said: “When I was approached I said yes because I thought it was going to be fun.

“What I’m most looking forward to is having the opportunity to not only see a lot of stuff and programme stuff but also make some artwork myself and have it presented in the place I live.”

Previous guest directors at the festival have included artist Laurie Anderson, musician Brian Eno and actress Vanessa Redgrave.

Shrigley said he was “flattered” to count himself among such an “illustrious roster”.

The artist lived in Glasgow for almost three decades before moving to Brighton two years ago because he “fancied it”.

He said: “My sister used to live here in the 1990s so I used to visit quite a lot.

“When I first started visiting Brighton with a view to moving here it was around the time of the festival that Ali Smith was the guest director [2015], and it seemed like there was a lot going on.”

Shrigley is a regular at Whitehawk FC matches and is responsible for the design of one of the more unusual football mascots around today – Kingsley the walking sun, created for Scottish team Partick Thistle.

Andrew Comben, chief executive of Brighton Festival, said Shrigley’s work matched the ethos of the three-week event.

He said: “Like Brighton Festival, David Shrigley’s work is for everyone.

“Both powerful and funny, his work manages to navigate ‘high’ and ‘low’ art and speak to a wide audience.”

  • Brighton Festival 2018 takes place from May 5 to 27, 2018.