Quick Info
| Profession | Artist, Writer, Broadcaster, Performer |
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| Nationality | British |
| Date of Birth | 24/03/1960 |
| Age | 66 years |
| Birthplace | Chelmsford, Essex, England |
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Bio/Wiki
| Summary | Sir Grayson Perry is an English contemporary artist known for ceramic vases, tapestries, and cross-dressing. His work addresses themes of class, inequality, cultural hypocrisy, and social commentary through a blend of traditional craft and provocative narratives. |
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| Notable Achievements | Turner Prize winner (2003), first ceramicist to receive the award. Royal Academician since 2012. Appointed CBE in 2013 and awarded Knighthood in 2023. |
Educational Qualification(s)
| Art Foundation | Braintree College of Further Education (1978-1979) |
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| Degree | BA Fine Art, Portsmouth College of Art and Design (graduated 1982) |
Personal Life
| Alter Ego | Claire (female persona used in performances and artwork) |
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| Companion | Teddy bear named Alan Measles featured in his work |
Career
| Early Career | First exhibited pottery at New Contemporaries show, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London (1980). Joined Neo Naturists movement. |
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| Major Works | Ceramic vases with classical forms decorated with provocative imagery; tapestries; woodcuts; cast-iron sculptures; graphic novel 'Cycle of Violence' (2012) |
| Television | Documentaries for Channel 4 including 'Why Men Wear Frocks' (2005); 'Grayson's Art Club' (2020) |
| Publications | Autobiographies: 'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl' (2007), 'The Descent of Man' (2016); 'Playing to the Gallery' (2014); 'Sketchbooks' (2016) |
| Major Exhibitions | 'Guerilla Tactics' at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (2002); 'The Most Popular Exhibition Ever!' (2015-2017); 'The Pre-Therapy Years' retrospective at Holburne Museum Bath (2020) |
| Other | Delivered BBC Reith Lectures (2013); Coordinated Summer Exhibition at Royal Academy (250th year) |
Style Quotient
| Artistic Approach | Blends traditional craft with bold, provocative themes. Uses bright colours and classical forms to contrast with disturbing social content. Strong autobiographical element with recurring imagery of Claire and Alan Measles. |
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| Mediums | Ceramics, tapestries, woodcuts, cast-iron sculptures, prints, textiles, performance art |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Contracted measles at age 3, during which he bonded with his teddy bear Alan Measles | |
| 2. Ranked number 32 in The Daily Telegraph's '100 most powerful people in British culture' (2008) | |
| 3. Selected by Sir Peter Blake to appear in a new version of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's album cover (2012) | |
| 4. His ceramic vases depict subjects such as child abuse and sado-masochism despite their attractive appearance |