Grayson Perry - Who are you?

[Dave Davenport]

Anyone else been watching this series?

Interesting, thought provoking and entertaining. I really liked his Reith lectures and this TV series is the best thing I've seen on the box in ages.

 

[Ganymede]

It's a wonderful series. I had the huge fun of going to a private view of the pieces at the NPG the other night and MET GRAYSON, who is just brilliant.

The Huhne vase is bizarre and lovely and the "Benin"-style bronze is a marvel. Well, all the pieces are great. The bit about Alzheimer's on the show had me in floods. What I like most about the TV progs is how he asks questions and then really listens to people's answers. Rare and fascinating.

 

[Poacher]

Would have been even more interesting to see a heart rate monitor during the silence following his unveiling of the stitchwork picture of the Belfast loyalist group!

I wasn't particularly a fan of his before seeing the Reith lectures, and he's grown on me even more in this all too short series - almost meeting the criteria of a national treasure (does Private Eye monitor CC?).

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Ditto to all the above, I've only watched the first one so far, got the others on series record. A joy to watch. I enjoyed Prince Charles' reaction too when he turned up as Claire to receive his CBE.

 

[Bobby Mhor]

One person I'd never stop thumping....
I said thumping

 

[Ganymede]

I really like his work, and many aspects of his persona (I don't quite get the little girl dresses) but sorry, I thought his Reith lectures were dreadful. It was as if he'd thought up a load of puns and jokes, and then stitched them together with a weak narrative, like a shaggy dog story. Reith lectures always used to be so much more interesting and challenging than that.

I think that's interesting - he does have quite a throwaway delivery in some ways but I find he makes some really serious points in quite a playful way. His art is very playful but it's also really humane, and, y'know, about the human. In the flesh he has this larger-than-life persona - when he is dressed as Claire he still sounds totally male but I feel there's a level of showy-offness added, compared to how you see him in "male" day clothes on the telly programmes. I'd like to meet the less flamboyant version but I know he always does Claire at public occasions (and I agree, the frocks are weird to look at, not what a woman would wear though perhaps a sort of ludicrous extension of what a little girl would wear in her wildest imagination).

Interestingly it made me remember that I had a boy persona when I was growing up - my friend Celia and I (nb never met my Orlando) (theatrical ref) used to "be" two cowboys called George and Joe. I used to sign my letters to her "Joe" and we would only wear jeans and check shirts etc. I've always loved a proper frock but I am still a "tomboy", but of course it's easier for women as we can really wear what we like. I can still be found in combat pants and check shirt with a hammer/axe/billhook in my hand and a big pair of boots on my feet, but I also wear Vivienne Westwood and high heels when I want to scrub up. Freedom!

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

I agree, the frocks are weird to look at, not what a woman would wear

I've read that Claire bases her current outfits on those worn by the Duchess of Cornwall

 

[Ganymede]

Well it's deffo not the Duchess of Cambridge!

 

[threebikesmcginty]

We went to an exhibition of tapestries by GP in Birmingham recently, it was by accident as we went to a photorealism exhibition there and this was on too, it was good. I like him, enjoyed the lectures too, they were funny but also had a serious side to them too, happy for them not to be too stuffy.

 

[Mrs M]

Particularly liked the " little bo peep" look on Have I got news for you He's an individual, good for him.

 

[Mrs M]

Well it's deffo not the Duchess of Cambridge!

No, too feminine, lol.

 

[suzeworld]

I love him, he is so bright and has an amazing ability to empathise with people and get them to open up in a really natural way. Apart from Huhne of course, who was confirmed as the biggest of idiots in my eyes ...

This mini-series has been brilliant and made me cry at least once in each section, esp the Alzheimer piece. We went down to London to see the actual works last week. Well worth the trip, though it might tour, I supose .. the location inside the modern works in the National Portrait Gallery is also very interesting alongside it ...

I will see it again if it does tour, I saw the tapestries three times!

 

[Ganymede]

I love him, he is so bright and has an amazing ability to empathise with people and get them to open up in a really natural way. Apart from Huhne of course, who was confirmed as the biggest of idiots in my eyes ...

This mini-series has been brilliant and made me cry at least once in each section, esp the Alzheimer piece. We went down to London to see the actual works last week. Well worth the trip, though it might tour, I supose .. the location inside the modern works in the National Portrait Gallery is also very interesting alongside it ...

I will see it again if it does tour, I saw the tapestries three times!

I love how you wander among older portraits to see the works. You suddenly realise that some of the later 19th century work is also quite radical in the way the subjects are represented - an independent-looking young woman staring you down, or an intellectual looking away from the viewer.

I too blubbed at the Alzheimer's bit, and I thought it was hilarious when Chris Huhne looked at the printed willies on his vase and said "oh look, phallic symbols". No Chris, just willies....

 

[talisman50082]

Hmm , best i keep quiet i think lol.