An exhibition featuring the earliest works and ‘lost pots’ of one of Britain’s most well known artists is coming to York.
Grayson Perry: The Pre-Therapy Years will be showcased from today (Friday 28 May) to Sunday 5 September 2021 at the Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) at York Art Gallery.
Many of us tuned into the brilliant TV show Grayson’s Art Club to help get us through lockdown, and now comes the chance to see some of his own work in person.
The touring exhibition, developed by the Holburne Museum in Bath, is the first to celebrate Grayson Perry’s earliest forays into the art world.
It will re-introduce works he made between 1982 and 1994.
The 70 works included in the exhibition have been crowd-sourced following a national public appeal. These ‘lost’ pots will be on display together for the first time since they were made.
The pieces were sourced from collectors, enthusiasts and friends who collectively held over 150 of Perry’s early works.
Dr Helen Walsh, curator of ceramics, said: “We are delighted to be showcasing the ground-breaking early works of such a renowned and influential artist.
To be able to bring these works together for public display, many of which are usually hidden away in private collections, is absolutely thrilling.”
The exhibition will shine a light on Perry’s experimentation and exploration of the potential of pottery to address radical issues and human stories.
Grayson Perry notes, “This show has been such a joy to put together, I am really looking forward to seeing these early works again many of which I have not seen since the eighties.
It is as near as I will ever get to meeting myself as a young man, an angrier, priapic me with huge energy but a much smaller wardrobe.”
For more information including opening times and how to book tickets, please visit the York Art Gallery website.