Grayson Perry - The Walthamstow Tapestry - seen here
Before heading back to Wales, I made a snap decision to visit Victoria Miro Gallery to see Grayson Perry's new work; The Walthamstow Tapestry (one of my art hero's since seeing The Charms of Lincolnshire at the same gallery in 2005). I was surprised to see a tux wearing doorman at the entrance, but went on in anyway. The Walthamstow Tapestry is on the very top floor of the gallery - up a punishing set of steps. As I rounded the corner a little flushed from the climb, I realised I has stumbled into the opening party; hoping to slot seamlessly into the host of illustrious art in-folk, I tried to look nonchalant whilst being secretly thrilled to see Claire in attendance in a fabulous frock.
The tapestry is three meters high by fifteen metres long, designed specifically for the gallery’s architecture it runs the entire length of the top floor exhibition space. It confirms the gallery's claim for Perry as "...a great chronicler of contemporary life, in whose work sentiment and nostalgia sit subversively alongside fear and anger..." and charts the journey from birth to death through the contemporary landscape of brand names and identities. The piece is shown alongside a series of new pots.
Here's a great interview about the show.
How exciting! I love the idea of trying to slip nonchalantly into such a cool Private View. I am quite jealous. I really loved seeing Grayson Perry's Party Dress at Nottingham Castle Art Gallery (2005 I think). The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery (Stoke on Trent)also have quite a collection of his ceramic work and also one of his quilts , Slave Ship.
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