Monday 27 July 2015

Grayson Perry - Provincial Punk


I recently visited the Grayson Perry, 'Provincial Punk' exhibition at the Turner in Margate. In fact I've been twice. There is a lot to see, including a large collection of the artist's famous ceramic vases. They are very detailed and the viewer can spend a lot of time discovering new scenes and British cultural motifs. Another strand that runs through Perry's work is the juxtaposition of humour with cutting satirical observations about today's shallow worship of consumer society. Perry's transvestite alter ego 'Claire' also makes constant appearances - not only on the vases but throughout the work.

As well as the vases there are maps, tapestries, sculpture and video installation. One of my favourites is a large scale, finely detailed, pen and ink map, of a landscape over which warring 'tribes' are in constant conflict. The tribes consist of all sorts of categories of peoples such as Christians, Atheists, Pacifists, Right wingers, War Mongers, Homosexuals, Metrosexuals, Traditionalists, etc. They are all fighting their corners up and down streets, in fields, and on top of buildings. At the far left of the map on a small island, the 'Tabloids' are engaged in firing guided rockets into the crowds on the mainland. That little detail actually made me laugh out loud when I saw it.

Another piece of work I admired is a photograph of Perry dressed as a 'reader's wife' on the cover of a fictional model maker's magazine. He describes how he came across the real magazines and that all the covers featured reader's wives, proudly displaying their husbands model handiwork. Perry is dressed in a very 'mumsy' style, with a pastel jumper and clutching a model jet fighter that Perry has had made and is also in the exhibition.

There was also a display case containing the leather biker suit that Perry wore on a trip around Germany. This was part of a recent exhibition he did for the British Museum. The objects on plinths and the cases reminded me of my 'Rubber Flapper' artifacts. I could do something similar with the artifacts that I've made. Having objects as well as photographs adds an extra dimension to a space, I think.

I've been to about three of the artist's exhibitions now. They are very popular. He uses a consistent 'craft' aesthetic that runs right through all his work. There is always lots to see and admire, analyse and amuse in his pieces. With this latest exhibition though, I have begun to feel that the work is being repeated. I think seeing pieces pulled from different exhibitions during his growth as an artist and placed together has somehow made them repetitive. There is nothing wrong in an artist examining the same themes consistently in their work. I do that myself as a student. I just hope that his next show might be a big leap forward in visual terms.    

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