In his work Grayson Perry tackles subjects that are universally human: identity, gender, social status, sexuality, religion. He tries to deal with them in a way that is accessible and yet not patronising. Perry is a great chronicler of contemporary life, drawing us in with wit, affecting sentiment and nostalgia as well as fear and anger.
By Efi Michalarou Photo: Kiasma Archive
Grayson Perry in “Folk Wisdom”, his solo exhibition at Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, presents 60 works spanning the last two decades of his oeuvre. The artist speaks openly and unabashedly about his own identity and there is a strong autobiographical element in his work. During childhood, he retreated into a private world of fantasy, and in his teens Perry discovered his predilection for cross-dressing. Autobiographical references can be read in tandem with questions about décor and decorum, class and taste, and the status of the artist versus that of the artisan. He works with traditional media such as ceramics, cast iron, bronze, printmaking and tapestry, and is interested in how each historic category of object accrues intellectual and emotional baggage over time. Talking about the title of his exhibition, Perry said: “These are common-sense beliefs passed down orally through generations of ordinary people. They are widely-held ideas which are not necessarily rational or scientifically proven, but in them, more often than not, is a grain of truth”. His themes are explored through his multi-faceted practice including the history of taste and social class in Britain, religious and folk iconography, and representations of sexuality and masculinity. With a keen eye for detail and a love of the popular and vernacular, Perry infuses his artworks with a sly humour and reflection on society past and present. The large tapestry “Battle of Britain” (2017) shows an imaginary British landscape crowded with allusions to feelings and issues dividing the country. The artist’s highly decorated pots in particular reveal a panoply of imagery ranging from the highly personal to the political, their subjects including his own family, the art world, Biblical stories, the royal family, and images of warfare and sexual fantasy. Perry’s transvestism and feminine alter ego “Claire” emerges through his practice as a recurring visual motif. The two large vases “Matching Pair” (2017) have been decorated with images chosen and supplied by the two groups of British public… those that voted for the UK to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum, and those that voted to remain, were asked to contribute visual material via social media.
Info: Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Mannerheiminaukio 2, Helsinki, Duration: 13/4-2/9/18, Days & Hours: Tue & Sun 10:00–17:00, Wed-Fri 10:00-20:30, Sat 10:00-18:00, https://kiasma.fi
Grayson Perry, The Adoration of the Cage Fighters, From the series The Vanity of Small Differences, 2012, Tapestry; wool, cotton, acrylic, polyester, silk, Courtesy the Artist and Victoria Miro-London/Venice
Grayson Perry, #Lamentation, From the series The Vanity of Small Differences, 2012, Tapestry; wool, cotton, acrylic, polyester, silk, Courtesy the Artist and Victoria Miro-London/Venice
Grayson Perry, Comfort Blanket, 2014, Tapestry, Published by Paragon, Courtesy the Artist, Paragon / Contemporary Editions Ltd and Victoria Miro-London/Venice
Grayson Perry, Map of Truths and Beliefs, 2011, Tapestry, Published by Paragon, Courtesy the Artist, Paragon / Contemporary Editions Ltd and Victoria Miro-London/Venice
In his work Grayson Perry tackles subjects that are universally human: identity, gender, social status, sexuality, religion. He tries to deal with them in a way that is accessible and yet not patronising. Perry is a great chronicler of contemporary life, drawing us in with wit, affecting sentiment and nostalgia as well as fear and anger.
