Artwork Description
And Then Things Got Better Limited Edition Archival Pigment Prints on 330gsm Fine Art Paper by Denial Graffiti Street Artist Modern Pop Art.
2020 Signed & Numbered Limited Edition of 25 Artwork Size 24x24
And Then Things Got Better by Denial – A Bold Statement of Hope in Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork
And Then Things Got Better is a striking archival pigment print created by the Canadian street pop artist Denial in 2020. Measuring 24 x 24 inches and printed on 330gsm fine art paper, this work was released in a signed and numbered limited edition of only 25. The piece draws immediate visual comparison to classic comic strip aesthetics but subverts expectations through a modern lens. Featuring a close-up portrait of a woman rendered in high contrast with bold black outlines, vibrant pink lips, vivid green eyes, and Ben-Day dot textures, the print captures the emotional intensity that Denial is known for. The panel’s yellow upper strip carries the titular phrase, printed in an all-caps comic font: And Then Things Got Better. This single line, combined with the woman’s dramatic upward gaze and tear-tracked cheek, encapsulates a surge of conflicted emotion—part relief, part disbelief, part residual pain. The composition is frozen in that precise psychological moment when change begins to arrive but healing is still in motion.
Denial’s Subversive Pop Art Language
Denial, born Daniel Bombardier in Canada, is an internationally recognized street and gallery artist whose work critiques consumerism, propaganda, and social norms through humor and graphic visual impact. Known for blending techniques from graffiti, signage, and mass media design, Denial’s prints and installations draw heavily from the legacy of pop art while injecting them with urban urgency. In And Then Things Got Better, he uses a format popularized by 1960s pop art pioneers but repurposes it to speak not about romantic melodrama but about resilience and psychological transformation. The woman’s expression is not one of shallow sadness but rather of deep processing, portraying an honest reckoning with personal or collective experience. Through limited text and bold imagery, Denial emphasizes that change, when it comes, is layered and uncertain—but worth embracing.
Technical Execution and Print Quality
Each print in this limited run is crafted using high-resolution archival pigment printing on 330gsm fine art paper, a museum-quality substrate known for its texture, color accuracy, and longevity. The use of pigment-based inks ensures that the vivid blues, intense blacks, and shocking pinks maintain their vibrancy without fading over time. The paper’s weight provides both tactile richness and physical substance, grounding the emotional weight of the artwork. As each edition is hand-signed and numbered by the artist, the piece becomes not just a reproduction but a personal artifact of Denial’s evolving catalog. The crisp precision of the linework, especially in the hair and lettering, showcases Denial’s control of visual rhythm and contrast. It is a piece that can exist comfortably in both street-influenced interiors and formal gallery settings.
And Then Things Got Better as Contemporary Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork
This artwork exemplifies the spirit of Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork through its fusion of pop iconography with modern emotional depth. While many works in the genre embrace irony or satire, Denial’s print finds space for sincerity without losing its graphic punch. It celebrates the ability of contemporary pop artists to use comic tropes and urban aesthetics not just for critique, but for emotional storytelling. The message of the piece is simple, but the context surrounding it—social upheaval, personal growth, psychological distress—makes it resonate profoundly. Denial manages to channel the graphic immediacy of street art with the structured punch of pop, giving voice to the hope that often emerges quietly after storms. And Then Things Got Better is not only a statement—it is a question, a moment of breath, and a visual reminder of survival through art.
