GRAYSON PERRY

CREATED AS PART OF A SPECIAL COMMISSION BY GRAYSON PERRY, THIS PROJECT EXPLORED THEMES OF KITSCH, DOMESTICITY, AND CONSUMER CULTURE THROUGH A PLAYFUL REINTERPRETATION OF 1960S AND 1970S SUPERMARKET IMAGERY AND PRODUCT ADVERTISEMENTS. RESPONDING TO THE ICONIC STEREOTYPE OF THE HOUSEWIFE—HER IMAGE DEFINED BY DRESSING GOWNS, HAIR ROLLERS, AND SHOPPING TRIPS—IT COMBINED THESE NOSTALGIC REFERENCES WITH PERRY’S UNIQUE IDENTITY.

THE MAIN PRINT FEATURED PERRY’S NAME INSERTED INTO FAMILIAR PRODUCT NAMES, SUCH AS ‘PERRY LIQUID,’ ADDING A PERSONAL TWIST TO THE COMMERCIAL WORLD OF ADVERTISING. A 1960’S STYLE HEADSCARF PRINT ALSO INCORPORATED PLAYFUL DEPICTIONS OF HAIR IN ROLLERS, CREATING A WHIMSICAL YET POIGNANT NOD TO BOTH EVERYDAY DOMESTICITY AND THE ICONOGRAPHY OF FEMININITY. THE SILHOUETTE OF THE GARMENT ITSELF WAS A BLEND OF CONTRASTING INFLUENCES—COMBINING THE COMFORT OF A HOUSECOAT OR DRESSING GOWN WITH THE ELEGANCE OF A 1920S BIAS-CUT ROBE. THE ENSEMBLE EVOKED A SENSE OF CASUAL GLAMOUR, CAPTURING THE BLEND OF THE MUNDANE AND THE FANTASTICAL THAT PERRY OFTEN EXPLORES IN HIS WORK.

GRAYSON PERRY WORE THE PIECES DURING AN INTERNAL SHOW, AND THEY WERE LATER PLACED INTO HIS PERSONAL COLLECTION.