Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small Differences

by Grayson Perry (Artist)

Telling a story of class and taste, aspiration and identity, the tapestry series The Vanity of Small Differences by Turner Prize–winning artist Grayson Perry (born 1960) was conceived up and down the length and breadth of the U.K., as Perry traveled for Channel 4 television “on safari amongst the taste tribes of Britain.” The result is a monumental exploration of the “emotional investment we make in the things we choose to live with, wear, eat, read or drive.” The six vibrant and highly detailed tapestries presented here bear the influence both of early Renaissance painting and of William Hogarth’s “modern moral subjects,” literally weaving characters, incidents and objects from Perry’s research into a modern-day version of Hogarth’s famous A Rake’s Progress . This book is an essential companion to one of the key contemporary art works of the last decade.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

128 pages, Hardcover

First published June 30, 2013

About the author

Grayson Perry CBE RA is an English contemporary artist, writer and broadcaster.

Reviews

[T.E. Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Until recently I didn't really no much about the Grayson Perry, except that he was a transvestite potter who had won the Turner Prize. His recent presentation of the BBC Reith Lectures opened up but his work as an artist in me but my interest in the Reith Lectures (neither of which I had really exposed myself too, before).

When we visited Birmingham last Saturday it was to go and look at the tapestries featured in this book (as well visiting the new, and excellent, Public Library), and seeing the six large, and incredibly detailed tapestries depicting the rise and fall of the fictional anti-hero Tim Rakewell and our response to class and taste that comes of that, it prompted me to buy this book and find out more.

Next up I want to watch the DVD of the Channel 4 documentary to see what inspired Perry to make the tapestries.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very quick read. Borrowed from local library. Flicked through the pages, had a quick glance at the text as it is based on one of Perry’s tapestry pieces of art. I am fairly familiar with Perry and his artwork. I didn’t gain more knowledge but it was nice to look at the photography and imagery included in this book.

[Ana G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick, beautiful and thought-provoking read, showcasing the rationale, the process and illustrations of Grayson Perry's eponymous tapestry collection. Perry's series of tapestries presented here investigate the question of "taste" (e.g. taste for decorating, for fashion etc., not in the gustatorial sense), and how it links to a person's identity and context within the world,e.g. their social class.

I enjoyed the essays on the provenance and process of Perry's ideas, and the general thesis that taste reflects both the class we were born in, and the class we aspire to belong in. The rest of the book sections -- research, sketches etc. -- helped place the art in context, and I feel that I got a fantastic sense of why Perry chose this topic, and appreciation for all the details woven (no pun intended) into the different pieces.

[Ayesha Abdullahi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such cool tapestries and the research in class behind them is very interesting. Going to be exploring this work in my digital sketchbook.