Artwork
Murder at Number 2
Murder at Number 2 is a print by Chris Pig. It dates from 2013 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Murder at Number 2 is a black‑and‑white linocut print created in 2013. The composition depicts a dimly lit urban alley flanked by brick terraced houses, with a crooked streetlamp casting a faint glow. A blind‑embossed pig’s head appears stamped in the lower right corner, and the work is signed, titled, numbered and dated by the artist.
Subject & Meaning
The juxtaposition of domestic tranquility and sudden violence invites viewers to contemplate the hidden threats that may lurk in ordinary neighbourhoods.
The scene is divided between two illuminated windows: one shows a figure lying motionless on a floor, suggesting a violent act such as stabbing or bludgeoning, while a second window in the foreground presents a sleeping family, unaware of the danger. The juxtaposition of domestic tranquility and sudden violence invites viewers to contemplate the hidden threats that may lurk in ordinary neighbourhoods.
Technique & Style
Executed in linocut, the image relies on stark, flat black shapes against a white background, without gradations of tone. Thick, uneven lines define the cramped architecture and the distorted angles of the alley, creating a sense of disorientation. The artist’s minimalist approach emphasizes contrast and negative space, turning the chaotic street into a graphic puzzle.
History & Provenance
The print was produced and signed by the artist in 2013, bearing a unique edition number. It bears a distinctive blind embossing of a pig’s head in the lower right, a mark that helps identify the work within the artist’s limited series. The piece is held in private collections and has been exhibited alongside other contemporary prints in museum contexts.
Artist & collection
Artist
Chris Pig is a British artist printmaker known for politically astute prints that combine of expanses of black ink with carefully worked areas of detail.
