Paula's Place

Paula's Place

Saturday 16 June 2012

All in the Best Possible Taste

I have been watching Grayson Perry's series on Channel 4 on British taste, and have to say I am pretty impressed on every level.   Like most people Grayson Perry first came onto my radar when he won the Turner Prize a few years ago in 2003.   At that time he was rumoured to respond to the news that he had won that "It is about time a transvestite potter won the Turner" At that time most of the media made more of Grayson's idiosyncratic style of dress as Claire than of his work.   It is easy to see why.
Grayson Perry wins the Turner 2003
As a cross dresser I may not share his taste in clothes, but I am impressed with how open he is about this aspect of his life, how he is quite "up front" about it but does not seek to justify or explain it, just states things like "as a transvestite I am interested to explore this as a woman as well" and gets on with it.    I would love to be able to be as out and honest, but our family circumstances are very different.   I get the impression that he is very happy in his skin comfortable and confident in his choices, in short a bit of a role model whether he wants to be or not.

This series is an interesting insight into his character, his methods of work and his background.   Of course f special interest to us it also gives us some very interesting insights into his dressing.   What I find most interesting is the way in which he embraces Clare into his work, and how comfortable the all people who meet him both as documentary maker, famous artist, man and woman appear to be.   This must be a testimony to his personality, watching him on TV and hearing him on the radio I can't help thinking that here is one "celebrity" that I would like to meet.

At the very least I will be going to see the tapestries that are the finished items resulting from his exploration of British class and taste.

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