Grayson Perry: The Most Special Relationship

Stunning exhibition at Victoria Miro Wharf Road of work by Grayson Perry inspired by his three-part Channel 4 documentary “Grayson Perry’s Big American Roadtrip”.

I’d watched the tv programme and really enjoyed it but you don’t need to have seen it to appreciate the exhibition which consisted of a large tapestry, a map, five vases and six slipware platters. I loved the detail of the pieces. The longer you look at them the more you see.

The tapestry, called “Very Large Very Expensive Abstract Painting”, is a layered map of New York with words about the city over a map over what appears an intricate background which looked to me like rugs. I loved the texture of it.

There was a stunning vase called “War Head” which was shaped like a missile then had the silhouettes of missiles on it which were set up like the diagrams of slave ships and there were ghostly images of  Donald Trump in the background. A really haunting piece.

I liked the slipware platters and their nod to 17th century pieces. I was fascinated to read that in some cases there were based on real plates he had seen in American museums.

My favauroite piece was this vase called “American Journey” which appears like a map with names of American cultural icons instead of place names and pictures of Perry’s journey superimposed. Of course, I had to photograph the section which includes Bruce Springsteen.

Closes 31 October 2020

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