Grayson Perry

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Grayson Perry is one of the great chroniclers of contemporary life, who moves us with his feelings or emotions. Across his practice, Perry tackles universally human themes: identity, gender, class, sexuality, religion. His autobiographical references – childhood, family, cross-dressing – intersect with wider reflections on taste, social mobility, the decorative arts and the role of the artist versus the artisan. Working in traditional disciplines including ceramics, cast iron, bronze, printmaking and tapestry, Perry explores how each medium carries its own emotional and intellectual weight.

Perry’s tapestries draw inspiration from a form of art traditionally associated with the upper echelons of society – depictions of classical myths, historical and religious scenes and epic battles – and playfully subvert it by using this age-old allegorical medium to elevate the everyday dramas of modern British life. Politics, consumerism, history and art history are all woven into his work, both in subject matter and medium. Yet for Perry, emotional investment – creating works about things that truly matter – is paramount. As he puts it: “It’s the emotional charge that draws me to a subject.”