Grayson Perry: Who are you?

Grayson Perry is an English artist who doesn’t so much capture his subject’s features, but rather explores their Psychology to give himself a deeper understanding of their character and then propels that into his creations. His latest venture is attempting to capture those who are less portrayed in today’s media. Such as a Transgender man, a white Muslim Convert, a reality star, and a disgraced former cabinet minister. Throughout the program on Channel four he spends time with each of his subjects, painting a mental note of their character which he then uses later in his creations. I think it is a clever take on art, the program was well paced and I found it entertaining despite the fact that art has never attracted me and I struggle with understanding the deeper concepts of it. One of his subjects; the former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne, was probably his hardest subject to capture as he held back and was uncomfortable sharing his deeper thoughts and feeling, trying to make sure none of his insecurities where shown. Grayson’s first meeting with Chris was on the eve of his sentencing where he went round for dinner with him and his girlfriend where they had Tuna steaks and lentils. The reason Grayson chose Chris as one of his subjects is not immediately clear, despite the fact that the subject of the Television show was to explore those less represented. And Chris Huhne would ordinarily be thought of as the opposite end of that description, him being a white, middle classed, middle aged, straight man. The reason for his choosing is that Grayson was attempting to portray his fall from grace.

His other subjects were much more along the lines of what the show was attempting to do from the outset. One of his Subjects, Jazz was a transgendered man who was born a woman but has since taken the steps to become a man. Grayson Perry himself has struggled with his sexuality being a transvestite and he represented the Jazz very well. Showing him as a statue of manliness which is what Jazz had strived to achieve all along, not so much as to be thought of as a macho man. But just to be thought of as a man.

Ryland is the modern example of someone who is famous, for being famous. And to portray this Grayson made him into a small drawing, much like the nobility of the Elizabethan era would wear. This was clever because these members of nobility were only rich and famous because of the exploits of an ancestor long ago. Much like Ryland is only famous for getting lucky, just like the Elizabethan Nobles.

The final subject was that of a White English woman who had converted to Islam after having somewhat of a tumultuous youth and had found Islam the answer to her misguided ways. The piece for this was that of the “British Hijab” which was a clever and somewhat ironic piece as the woman’s place of worship was a converted pub, yet across the motorway was some Islamic looking buildings that housed a large retail park. This was represented well within the piece as it gave a nice juxtaposition between these two places which ordinarily would be the opposite.

Overall I found the program engaging despite my natural ineptitude at art, I liked the way that Grayson Perry was not a conventional artist but in many ways was also a psychologist, studying his subjects to reveal the deeper meanings in their words and appearances. Showing the insecurities that they themselves had not expressed.