Everything I read about Grayson Perry just makes me love him more and more. When he accepted the Turner prize in 2003, wearing a fantastic lilac frock of his own creation, he said “It’s about time a transvestite potter won the Turner Prize!”
His views on art and society are refreshingly unpretentious. He is happily married to a psychotherapist with whom he has a 14 year old daughter. His wife Philippa has joked that his obsession with dressing in women’s clothes could be worse…”It could be football!”
Here is what he says in one interview:
“To have men in frocks is disturbing for people, but in fact most of them are straight, hetero people with marriages and kids,” says Perry.
He says he is horrified by the “spiritual bankruptcy” of modern society, and its focus on appearance. “There is more to attractiveness than who is looking in the mirror. Sexiness is a terrible tyranny.”
Grayson Perry seems like a funny, gifted, endearing, original thinker who I’d like to add to my list of People To Look Up To.
UPDATE: Grayson Perry has curated a touring exhibit called Unpopular Culture. Check it out!
I haven’t heard of him. I’ll have to investigate. I quite like that vase. The dresses ain’t bad, either!
Imelda Mike worked for the Aids Council and once a month the ‘Sea Horses’ would congregate for their monthly meeting. Naturally the taking of photographs was prohibited…:( Original thinkers are few and far between so I can almost forgive his baby doll flats!
How WEIRD that I was going to post about Grayson Perry this weekend just to say that I covet his girly dress collection!
I didn’t know he existed. I love art and I love trannies! Though, I’ve never quite understood the grown-men-who-want-to-dress-like-little-girls look. I prefer my trannies to dress their own age. Still, I completely support what Grayson Perry is doing.
Imelda, it takes a large-hearted despot to forgive those flats.
Susie B. you would look like a storybook princess in one of those dresses! I find we are often preoccupied with the same things….come to L.A. so we can go shopping!
Honeypants, he is your man! Read some of his interviews and he explains about his female persona (“Claire”)
this is fantastic! I always thought it odd that it is now accepted that women are entitled to wear traditionally “male” clothing (pants…and hello AA y-front undies) but people are aghast at a nice young man wearing a gypsy skirt. Grayson sounds amazing. 🙂 great post.
He is! I think I’m in love with him. He also rides a motorcycle and hangs out with bikers.
I wish he were gay.