In the Best Possible Taste: Grayson Perry


Grayson Perry has recently embarked on a mission to explore British taste across society. The first episode, shown this week, followed Perry in Sunderland. Perry explained that he has always been fascinated by taste and he wanted to discover the choices behind what we buy and wear. I am similarly intrigued by why and what we choose to surround ourselves in. One of the main features of Sunderland taste that Perry observed was the popularity of tattoos. This was explored in an interesting interview with a tattoo artist and customer. They explained that people are more willing to spend money on decorating themselves with 'art' than they are buying it for their houses. The main reason fell on the idea that more people see you outside than they do inside your house. This highlighted the importance of public display and construction of our social identities through material possessions. Perry subsequently asked whether their tattoos were a que to talk about different aspects of their personality, to which the customer responded 'I think so yeah...I enjoy telling people about the meaning'. I found this whole discussion very interesting as jewellery is also a common element of our social identities and reveals a lot about taste. Perry's journey culminates in the production of six panoramic tapestries that illustrate his interpretation of C21st taste in Britain. These tapestries are soon to be displayed at the Victoria Miro museum http://www.victoria-miro.com/exhibitions/_429/. 

Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama has recently staged an interactive art piece 'Obliteration Room'  in the Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane; as part of her 'Look Now, See Forever' exhibition. The furnished room began as a blank canvas that was transformed, over a two week period, into an explosion of dizzying colour.Kusama effectively curated a growing environment which challenged the conventions of the 'white cube' by encouraging interaction. I find the concept of interactivity in this context quite compelling. Yayoi is well known for her immersive installations, as I find out at her recent exhibition in Tate modern. However, we were forbidden to touch or photograph anything..much to my disappointment.

Tadao Cern in a Lithuanian photographer and artist who has recently created a series of 'portraits' titled 'Blow Job'. The title refers to the gale force winds that the models were subjected to. The result was a striking and often humorous distortion of the face. Although it is a fairly simple idea, each portrait is intriguingly different.  I like this idea of invisible distortion and manipulation of the skin. 

A Llama in Times Square 1957

Magazine assignment by photojournalist Inge Morath. A group of television animals living with their trainers. I find the absurdity and juxtaposition quite exciting.

The strange views when walking

Categorise and Compare

Ernst Haeckel 

'Art Forms in Nature'

Tafel 67. Vampyrus Chiroptera

Sand grains viewed at 250 x magnification.
Dr Gary Greenburg has spent five years collecting a variety of sand grain specimens from around the world. Particles of crystal fragments and spiral fragments of shells and volcanic crumbs are revealed.

Alphonse Bertillon

 'Forty eight ears of french criminals', circa 1900

Talking of Wunderkammers

I find the act of categorisation quite intriguing, and the Wunderkammer is a fascinating example. The English translation is 'Wonder- room' but it is also known as the 'Cabinet of curiosities...or Wonders'. Their creation in the C16th stemmed from the European desire to understand the world by categorising the vast variety of objects that surrounded them. There were two broad categories, manmade and natural, that were further split into subjects such as geology and ethnography.

The museum of Francesco Calceolari in Verona, from Ceruti and Chiocco 1662

The Evolution Store in Soho, New York. It offers a contemporary, retail interpretation of a Wunderkammer.

Joseph Cornell 'Untitled' (The Hotel Eden) 1945

Cornell is well known for his 'Wunderkammer' style box assemblages. They house a series of juxtaposed objects that previously existed as precious objects. His technique was associated with the Surrealists.

A collection of 'things'

In a recent tutorial, my group were asked to display a collection of objects and images that we had kept for known or unknown reasons. The display was an attempt to explain our interests and to create links between them. As I like to to surround myself with a hybrid of 'things' my collection was split into a few categories, creating my own mini Wunderkammer. The largest category that emerged highlighted my interest in several 'tions'...distortion, fragmentation, transformation, reflection, transition, representation, appropriation. It also emphasised my interest in the movement of the body and the relation it has to the space around it.

A few of the pieces from my collection

From left to right: Handmade 'emu' acetate earrings, photo taken of the River Derwent- peak District, Eadward Muybridge holographic postcard, hologram pendant, coloured glass, burnt silver inkjet paper, John Stezaker 'Pair IV' collage 2007.

Disintegrating leaf and wire jump rings made from tin strips

Illustration by Marcos Chin 'Textile' and red rubber bands