During this world wide pandemic museums and galleries have closed their doors and art feels suspended, silently waiting to be viewed again. Grayson Perry’s latest exhibition is no exception. The Pre Therapy Years opened on the 24th of January at the Holbourne Museum in Bath and was supposed to run until the end of May but due to Covid-19 the exhibition was only open for a few weeks. Just before lockdown I was lucky enough to view this extraordinary exhibit. I have been a huge fan of Perry’s art since he won the Turner Prize in 2003 which rocketed his career as one of Britains greatest contemporary ceramicists.
This new exhibition is a huge retrospective of Perry’s early creative works from the years 1982-94. Put together with the help of modern technology, which included the use of Twitter, asking if the general public had purchased any pieces from the Artist in those early days and could they be brought back together for this exhibition. A brave move by Grayson, as an artist I’m not sure I really want to encounter some of my earliest works again!
The Pre Therapy Years shows the journey of a younger Grayson Perry, who we now have come to think of as a national treasure but who has never strayed away from narrating human stories within his works. Exploring themes such as identity, gender and social class with an explicit wit and charm we know and love. Some of my favourite works include ‘Now in Our Green and Pleasant Land (Ye Dear Olde Bugger)’ 1985. A beautifully bizarre earthenware blue glazed platter with a disembodied head and mythical creature illustrated in the centre, surrounded by hundreds on tiny indentations of Perrys signature stamps.
I also loved a collection of dark blue urns, featuring glazed cut outs using a stencil technique and beautiful sculpted reliefs of angels, skulls and biblical figures. One urn reads; ‘A trophy for the victor, who did not compete in the good spirit of sportsmanship but for honest monetary gain.’
The Holbourne Museum in Bath is currently closed but the exhibition has been extended till January 3rd 2021 in hope that galleries will be able to open their doors again soon. Although the museum entry is free, entry to the exhibition is not and tickets will cost you £12 per person. There is also a wonderful book to accompany Grayson’s newest show of the same name for a more in-depth look into the start of his career.