Tuesday 20 January 2015

Identity

The weekend before last we had a day in London and one of the things we did was to pop in to The National Portrait Gallery to see the fourteen portraits by Grayson Perry that were made during his Channel 4 TV programme "Who are You". None of them are really portraits in the conventional sense but are studies on identity... the identity of individuals, families and groups.


Each and every piece is fascinating and I would find it difficult to pick a favourite. They range from this huge blanket featuring British identity, to a self portrait done as a map. There is a silk scarf, a poster, an embroidery, a money chest and of course... pots!


Comfort Blanket
 
 I think it is the pots that I like the best. Big magnificent pots that say so much about their subject
 
Memory Jar

I loved them all and again I am bowled over by the sensitivity, humour and insightfulness of this artist. He doesn't miss a trick! The work is intelligent yet accessible... fabulous stuff.

Idealised Hetrosexual Couple

I especially loved these three goddesses, resplendent in their oversized gorgeousness.
 
Melanie, Georgina and Sarah

I could share much more - I took photos of all the pieces but I don't feel I have the words to do them justice. So if you can, do go and see them for yourself... the exhibition is open until 15th March and is totally free. And of course when you've done with the Grayson Perry exhibits, there are all the other wonderful portraits to see too. Or you could do what we did and go on to the Tower of London! Hadn't been there for years and Stewart had never been before... Great fun!




10 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing, I loved the programme, he is such a wise, clever and sensitive person, and I loved the pieces he created. Not sure that I am going to be going to London before the exhibition finishes so thanks for giving me a glimpse.x

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  2. The goddesses are especially amazing aren't they. Glad you had such a good time! xx

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  3. I loved that exhibition when I went in October. The detail that he puts into each piece and the sensitivity that he showed when interviewing people on the accompanying TV programme were both fantastic to see. I loved his self portrait, the map, I could have spent hours just looking at it.

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  4. See, you can do hats! Exhibition looks great, I'll have to try to get there x

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  5. Wonderful pics and I love the shape of those wonderful pots.
    Is that a helmet you are wearing? Was it part of the exhibition or did you pinch it from the Tower?!

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  6. Gina, I am glad that you got to see the GP exhibit. Wasn't it wonderful in many ways. The overall concpet, the grace of the design of each piece, the variety of mediums in play, the many details, ....oh, just every bit of it.

    What fun to see that last photograph!

    xo

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  7. Wasn't it a great exhibition. My husband has been wanting to go to the Tower of London for a while. I've been put of by the admission prices. Was it worth it?

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  8. I have become quite interested in identity and identity formation recently (I investigated the academic identity of "teaching only" academics for a dissertation) and I think I would enjoy this exhibition. Just a shame I live in the backwaters! Thanks for sharing the highlights with us. x

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  9. Looks like a great exhibition Gina -- you have access to the most wonderful events!

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  10. Thank you for the reminder Gina. I won't be able to see the exhibition but I did see and enjoyed the programme, Mr Perry is, I think, a wonderful human being.

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