The intention was for a group of us 3rd year Fine Art students to go this exhibition together. However, I got the wrong week and ended up going on my own, which could be seen as a 'Happy Accident' in so much as it allowed me the time and head space to look and decipher at my own pace.
There seemed to be a lot of story telling happening with the various pieces and you certainly go on a journey with the artist as you work your way through the pieces on display. One thing you certainly come away thinking is that this person clearly had many issues and demons during this period and some of the work depicts a very angry person. Angry at the art world, angry at himself and angry at society.
Perry's distinctive style is very evident in the way he depicts any people in the ceramics or indeed his sketchbooks, they are spiky and sharp representations, scissors are used quite often and are shown cutting off genitalia and altering body shape, this all aligns with Perry's issues with the dealing of the 'complexity of masculinity'. The works with a lot of writing on clearly tell particular stories, some of which are virtually all text, and the style of application of the letters was common across most pieces being imprinted with type, reflecting his graphic style. Maps feature and his connection with his birth county of Essex is often depicted. There is a dark humour on view and this can help to soften some of the more extreme images and depictions and help to get a certain point of view over.
What is also evident is how 'Claire' Perry's female alta ego came about and the sort of characters that started to define 'her' style. Larger than life people from that time in his life, such as Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana and one of the newsreaders of the 1980's, Sue Lawley. These 'stylish' woman of the time, with their bouffant hair and power dressing clearly are paramount to how Claire appears today.
There is much sketchbook envy with the pages on display, they are pieces in their own right and when you see the raw ideas they depict it really helps to tell more of the story of where the artist was at this time in his life and career. The title says it all 'The Pre-Therapy Years'. The bright, cheerful and often funny person we have seen in recent years, particularly with his recent 'Grayson's Art Club' is a different person. Perry is prolific, ground breaking and has been described as a national treasure. This exhibition is really well put together and gives an excellent snapshot of what was not only in Perry's head at the time but also shows his distinctive style and approach to how he output all those emotions, thoughts and feelings.
Well worth a visit, if you get a chance. (https://www.sainsburycentre.ac.uk/whats-on/grayson-perry-the-pre-therapy-years/).
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