Grayson Perry, a British contemporary artist born in 1960, shares a deeply personal connection with his iconic teddy bear, Alan Measles, who has inspired many of his works. In 2003, Perry made history by winning the Turner Prize, embracing his identity as a transvestite potter in his acceptance speech. Perry's work delves into themes of masculinity, sexuality, class, religion, war, and the art world, created with a personal touch and the belief that art should show the artist's vision instead of trying to please everyone.He embraces mistakes as integral to his artistic process, crafting his unique style.
“I’m a quality control freak. I have to do it badly in the right way. I need to be able to make mistakes. I can't trust anybody else to make the right sort of mistakes, because mistakes is your style” (Perry in Bloomberg Originals, 2015).
“I’m a quality control freak. I have to do it badly in the right way. I need to be able to make mistakes. I can't trust anybody else to make the right sort of mistakes, because mistakes is your style” (Perry in Bloomberg Originals, 2015).
The linocuts titled "Mr and Mrs Perry" were created by Perry in response to old Victorian portraits. Perry wanted them to have a simple, casual feel rather than being too complicated. He printed them on various papers, many with textured patterns like flocking or foil, and with edges that were roughly torn or unevenly cut. Perry openly admits that they don't look much like the people they're supposed to represent. Instead, he aimed for a handmade, expressive look. The pairs of linocuts are made from two different pieces of paper, highlighting the unplanned and spontaneous nature of the artwork. They were printed in the artist's studio by Eric Great-Rex (Paragon, n.d.). The black and white colours create a mysterious and vintage atmosphere in this artwork. The simplicity of those portraits is something I appreciate. I don't intend to limit myself to using only black in my projects, but I will try to make my work in that kind of simplicity.
"Selfie with Political Causes" is a special set of 68 etchings by Perry, with his unique style of bright colours and a simple perspective. In the selfie, Perry appears as his alter-ego Clare, dressed up with makeup and hair, riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle with words like 'Social Justice' and 'Equality' on it. The artwork talks about issues like racism and poverty. The motorcycle releases symbols of democracy and tolerance while opposing homophobia and tax evasion. It's Perry's way of reacting to politics becoming trendy in art (Enter Gallery, n.d.). Mixing primary colours such as yellow and red with secondary colours like green in the foreground creates a vibrant palette in the artwork. In the background, the use of baby pink and blue creates a calming and peaceful atmosphere. These bold colours make the artwork eye-catching and impossible to ignore. In my work, I want to achieve a similar effect of layers of colors overlapping each other. However, I won't use as many colors. Instead, I'll focus on using different shades of just one or two colors to create depth.
Reference List:
1) Wrathall, C. (2020). Grayson Perry: The MOST Specialest Relationship. [online] The Design Edit. Available at: https://thedesignedit.com/exhibitions/grayson-perry-the-most-specialest-relationship/ [Accessed 28 Apr. 2024].
1) Wrathall, C. (2020). Grayson Perry: The MOST Specialest Relationship. [online] The Design Edit. Available at: https://thedesignedit.com/exhibitions/grayson-perry-the-most-specialest-relationship/ [Accessed 28 Apr. 2024].
4) Enter Gallery. (n.d.). Selfie With Political Causes. [online] Available at: https://entergallery.com/products/selfie-with-political-causes-ar20347#:~:text= [Accessed 28 Apr. 2024].
Images:
Fig1) Perry, G. (2006). Mr and Mrs Perry, G.Perry. Available at: https://paragonpress.co.uk
Fig2) Perry, G. (2018). Selfie with Political Causes. Available at: https://www.entergallery.com
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