Everything about Grayson Perry is unpretentious. The works, the way he communicates with intellectual simplicity, and his uncompromising and flamboyant cross-dressing clone, Claire. What you see is what you get. His observance of the world around him informs the work coming from his one-man studio, referencing history, politics, sexuality - and any other topic for that matter that seem to briefly enter his mind - before it is translated into colourful narratives of a naive appearance, and expressed through somewhat domestic and century-old crafts, such as ceramics, stitching and fabrics.

Perry never made an effort to fit into the mainstream art world. It was perhaps too complicated or simply against his nature. Born in the outskirts of London in 1960, he grew up with his mother, a dysfunctional step-father, and his best friend, Alan Measles; a teddy bear who offered an escapism to life at home and with whom many adventures were lived out. The unrestrained, vibrant imagination - seemingly setting no boundaries during the daytime - was contrary to Perry’s interest in the mundanity of school chores. His creativity beyond the curriculum didn’t go unnoticed. To the credit of an observant school teacher, who saw where the young man’s real passion and talent lied, it was suggested that he enlisted to an art course at the Braintree College. Perry was on the right path, and a year later he was admitted to Portsmouth College of Art.

Following his graduation, Perry squatted around London with a group of carefree female performance artists called the Neo Naturists, never shy to join their activities around the capital. It was during the two years of living a bohemian, free-spirited lifestyle that Perry was introduced to what would become a defining medium of his future practice. One day, a woman from the group invited him to join an evening pottery class, and being of an openminded nature he decided to join. Perry was quick to see a potential of the humble and understandable medium. However, to an artist with any hopes of a career in the eighties it was not the obvious choice. Regardless of its traditions going back to Antiquity, clay was deemed “too decorative” or “too domestic” for the art world at the time, but to Perry it was perfect: it was a medium that could take any shape or form, one that spoke to his artistic and feminine side, and it was affordable to a young struggling artist.

Developing and refining the skills of working with clay would take him years. His first plate, ‘Kinky Sex’ (1983), appears like an imperfect round velvety chocolate cake, topped with white and dark-brown icing for decoration. A cake perhaps thought of as a prop for a kinky sadomasochistic act, suggested by the Christ-like strapped figure in the middle. Perry didn’t leave out a bit of self-irony on his luck with this new-found medium; adding two large markings, one noting “GP” next to a Poseidon’s tri-fork, and “1983 AD”.

Many of the earliest works are projecting personal stories and comments on the social tensions in a post-punk era in Britain. Referred to as ‘The Pre-Therapy Years’ - a period of his practice between ’82 and the mid-nineties - the works are crude, not only in presentation, but also in imagery and text. The nineties became a turning point for Perry. Gradually, he had mastered the clay substance through intense focus, refining the final shapes whether it was plates or vases. Simultaneously, the messages had become more sophisticated, at times targeting people whom potentially would be signing his future pay checks. In two beautiful and symmetrical vases titled ‘Cocktail Party’ (1989) and ‘Boring Cool People’ (1999), the artist exposed members of British society dressed up in haute-couture, fully accessorised with expensive designer bags and shoes. Along the way, the art world took notes and in the late nineties a wider acceptance of Perry’s contribution to the tradition of ceramics and the personal commitment to his practice was increasingly acknowledged, paving the way to winning the Turner Prize.

The fascination for all crafts sparked ideas and introduced new mediums on which Perry could convey his messages on class, culture, sex and gender. In Love Plane (2000) he used embroidery on satin to send one of love. Underneath the image of pastel colours lies deep sexual desires for procreation in a game of natural selection. Feminine and electrified pink-and-white flowers aim to pollinate the masculine plane forcing its way through the silky air, as it shields itself by a rosy aura to protect its precious cargo in the shape of a baby pacifier. The impression of Love Plane is a delightful contrast to the rough appearance of the early work, ‘Kinky Sex’.

Four decades into his practice, vases remain Perry’s preferred medium, complemented by others over the years, such as tapestries, bronzes, and more recently on works on paper and a king-size bedcover. Never afraid to push a social agenda - whether it is voicing society’s outsiders or world stage politics - Perry continues to tell complex stories and teases the mind of the audience through made-up personas. His continued relevance is undeniable as seen in his latest works, where vases are inscribed with hashtags and short statements such as “I am so happy”, “I know best” and “This is my dream”, hinting the challenges of today’s youth and their endless desire to project a perfect life on social media.

Perry’s work should be enjoyed as a candid commentary on society from the perspective of a bohemian, observing from beyond the edge of conformity.

Awarded the Turner Prize in 2003, Perry’s path to public admiration was one of many obstacles; one time quoted for saying that he didn’t make the minimum wage until his thirties, to highlight the absence of interest in his creations. Widely exhibited today, the artist works are included in several public collections, including that of Tate, London; MoMA, New York; The Albertina, Vienna; and Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. In 2023, the artist accepted a knighthood for his services to the arts.

Working with mediums that not always align well with multiples, the artist’s Love Plane gliding effortlessly through the air sets the stage for one of Grayson Perry’s earliest editions. The choice of embroidery allowed Perry to create - and oversee the making of an edition of 50 - that stayed authentic to his practice. The embroidery on Duchess satin was released in an exclusive collaboration between the artist, the Saatchi Gallery and Eyestorm in 2000. Each piece is signed and numbered on a label on verso.

Grayson Perry’s latest solo show entitled ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ is showing at the Wallace Collection in London until 26th October.

To view the print edition in further detail and to find more information about available works by Grayson Perry, visit the artist’s page here.