Grayson Perry: The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever! School and Teacher s Guide
Grayson Perry is one of the most popular and high profile artists working in Britain today. In this exhibition he looks at some of the important ideas affecting the country at the moment. Ideas about the ways in which we are different or the same, ideas about what makes someone a man, or someone British. Things to look out for around the gallery Alan Measles the artist s teddy bear. How many times can you spot him as you go round? Grayson Perry he often appears in his own work, can you find him? How many bikes can you spot? Are there any others forms of transport? The happiest person in the artworks The saddest person in the artworks Your favourite artwork As you go around, why not think about what question you would like to ask Grayson? Below: Grayson Perry, Battle of Britain, 2017. Tapestry. Courtesy the artist, Paragon Contemporary Editions Ltd and Victoria Miro, London (photograph Stephen White) Grayson Perry Front page: Grayson Perry, Keniworth AM1, 2010. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro, London.
Key Themes There are several major themes in the exhibition to explore whilst you are here. Masculinity Masculinity is defined as the possession of qualities traditionally associated with men and in this exhibition Grayson Perry makes works about how traditional ideas of masculinity shape and inform our culture in Britain. Some of the works have been made in response to specific communities of men in the UK, such as Shadow Boxing, The Digmore Tapestry and King of Nowhere. Other works look to subvert these same traditional ideas, such as the Keniworth AM1. All of the works ask us to question assumptions that are made about what it is to be a man and what it is to be a woman. Popularity The exhibition is called The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever! Is popular art good art? Who decides what good art is? (See Puff Piece). What makes art popular? Is it how many people come to see it? How much it sells for or what critics think? (see Visitor Figures). Which art works are your favourites? What is more important, the art or the artist? (See Reclining Nude). British Politics Many of the works represent the lives of people living in the UK but also reflect both global issues and the impact Britain has had on the world. Matching Pair represents the lives of people who voted in the EU Refurrendum whilst Red Carpet looks at words and buzz phrases commonly used when talking about the UK in 2016. Ways of making: The exhibition features ceramics, tapestry, woodcuts, sculptures, photographs and drawings. How many of each can you spot? How many of these ways of making have you tried yourself? What is the difference between the work Grayson makes himself, for example, the pots, and works he commissions, like Keniworth AM1? The process and ideas behind the works also differ. Keniworth AM1 and Reclining Artist represent who Grayson Perry is and are very personal expressions. Matching Pair and Shadow Boxing have been made in response to working with particular communities and individuals. How would you feel being involved in a similar process where an artist makes work about your life? Grayson Perry, Head of a Fallen Giant, 2008. Bronze. Courtesy of the Artist and Victoria Miro.
Key Work: Matching Pair Grayson Perry s Matching Pair have so much in common, but are so far apart. One pot features the images and choices of those that voted leave in the EU referendum, the other features the images and choices of those that voted to remain, all of which Grayson Perry crowdsourced from social media. Perry asked people to send in self-portrait photographs, pictures of things they loved about Britain, their preferred colour, favourite brands and who represented their values. Look closely at the images on the pots, look at the people on them and think about whether these pots represent Britain? What are the things you recognise? What are the things that are not familiar? What do the pots have in common? What differences can you spot? Right: Grayson Perry, detail of Matching Pair, 2017. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro, London. Photo: Robert Glowacki
We would like to invite you to design your own pot that represents and celebrates where you are from. What to do: 1. Write down three things you love about where you are from, (it could be anything, an object, a building or something you love to do). 2. Collect images and draw all of these things. 3. Once you have all your images, collage them together in the shape of a pot. How different does it look to Grayson Perry s Matching Pair? Take photographs of your work, we would love to see them! You can put your images up on instagram, tag @arnolfiniarts and #GraysonPerry Left: Grayson Perry, Alan Measles and Claire Visit The Rust Belt, 2017. Glazed ceramic. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro, London (photograph Stephen White).