Now open at The Lightbox, Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small Differences presents six large-scale tapestries exploring the British fascination with social class, created by the Turner Prize-winning artist as a result of his acclaimed TV series.
Inspired by the characters, incidents and objects the artist encountered during the making of his Channel 4 documentary series, All in the Best Possible Taste, the tapestries evolved from drawings and photography Perry made whilst travelling around England in search of what is – or isn’t – deemed to be ‘good taste’.
Grayson Perry is one of Britain’s most celebrated artists and cultural figures. He is recognised as a great chronicler of contemporary life, tackling subjects that are universally human: social status, identity, sexuality, religion and more.
In The Vanity of Small Differences, Perry shares a story of 21st century social mobility. The tapestries chart the life of a fictional character, Tim Rakewell, whose ‘class journey’ has parallels with that of his 18th century namesake, Tom Rakewell – the central figure in William Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress (1732-34).
As Hogarth told his tale in a series of eight paintings, Grayson Perry shares the rise and demise of Tim Rakewell in this series of six, 2m x 4m tapestries – an art form traditionally associated with grand houses for the depiction of great historical, religious and military scenes. In The Vanity of Small Differences, Perry plays with the idea of using this ancient allegorical art to elevate the commonplace dramas of contemporary British life.
Art historical references within contemporary scenes feature throughout the series: In The Adoration of the Cage Fighters there are echoes of Mantegna’s Adoration of the Shepherds (c.1450), and Agony in the Car Park is described by the artist as a “distant relative” of Bellini’s Agony in the Garden (c.1465).
The Vanity of Small Differences is part of the Arts Council Collection and is touring the country. For further information about the current exhibition: lightbox.org.uk
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Image: Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small Differences at The Lightbox © 2024, Deniz Guzel