Art
Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small Differences
An exhibition of tapestries by the Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry.
The Vanity of Small Differences explores the British fascination with taste and class through six large tapestries inspired by William Hogarth’s morality tale, A Rake’s Progress.
Perry’s tapestries follow the socially-mobile life of fictional character Tim Rakewell, from infancy to untimely death. They are rich in both content and colour and depict many of the eccentricities and peculiarities associated with life in the UK, from interior design to British cuisine, political protest and celebrity gossip.
Laura Pye, Head of Culture at Bristol City Council said: “Crammed with acutely-observed detail, Perry’s tapestries invite us all to consider our own attitudes to class and our positions in society. I would like to thank our exhibition sponsors, Bonomini, RSG and UWE Bristol for their generous support.”
A three-part documentary that inspired the tapestries, All in the Best Possible Taste, accompanies the exhibition. It follows Perry as he develops his ideas for the tapestries and travels to towns and cities across the UK, investigating what ‘taste’ is and how it is influenced by social groups and who we aspire to be.
Newly created audio from experts in different fields will give alternative perspectives on the tapestries. Hear commentary from a sociology professor at the University of Bristol, an applied art curator, a historian of popular culture, a theatre maker, a lecturer in counselling at UWE Bristol and the founder of People’s Republic of Stokes Croft.
The exhibition will also include a number of works from Bristol’s own collections, including historical ceramics, and the A Rake’s Progress print series by William Hogarth and David Hockney.
A specially designed guide will take visitors on a journey throughout the museum in search of objects that reflect the themes of the tapestries.
Tue-Sun (plus Mondays Apr 2/May 7/May 28) 10am-5pm, £5/£4 concs/under 16s free.
For more info, visit www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/bristol-museum-and-art-gallery/whats-on/grayson-perry
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