Tomb of The Unknown Craftsman : Grayson Perry : British Museum

 EXHIBITION RUNS UNTIL 26TH FEBRUARY 2012 - HURRY - DON'T MISS IT!!!


Yes, I went on a pilgrimmage to the British Museum yesterday-for that is Grayson Perry's way of describing our visits to art galleries and museums.

Having seen two documentaries screened on Grayson Perry and his Tomb of The Unknown Craftsman exhibition at The British Museum I thought I had just about seen it all and wouldn't bother with the actual exhibition but found myself thinking more and more about going because the overwhelming feeling I had from these programs was what a real nice down to earth guy he really was, but incredibly articulate - both verbally and visually in his art - OK to some he may seem a tad eccentric, but isn't there a bit of that to some degee or another in all of us even if it's just lurking there in the background buried and suppressed, so I ended up eventually knowing I just had to go and try get in this guys head some more and see what he makes of this world and see a bit more of his.


Before I go any further I think I should introduce you to Alan Measles - Grayson's teddy bear/god/muse/idol/hero/fellow traveller in this world, call him what you will Alan is the centrepiece of this exhibition and features in so many of Grayson's works - so precious is he that he cannot be allowed to attend in person so stunt doubles have been recruited to take his place.

Here is a vid with a brief introduction from Grayson himself to just one of the elements of the exhibit

and here's a bit more explaining - if it's possible - about the thinking behind the construction of the exhibition

The exhibition is a combination of ancient treasures from the vaults of the British Museum and Grayson's own works of art - a fantastic mix and I find I am kicking myself now for not looking more closely at his work in the past instead of boorishly dismissing it as "probably just more modern garbage", yes I am guilty of doing that with many modern artists. But here we have shrines, maps, tapestries, incredible ceramic vases - Grayson's work - the journey is simply mind-blowing but there's lots to smile at, laugh at and even reflect quite deeply upon along the way. OK, I thought, so maybe I would go to this exhibition but I was not - no I must not be tempeted into buying yet another expensive book to accompany an exhibition I had visited ..... well, no really I coouldn't help myself ..... I got so immersed in the guy, his work and his thinking and this exhibition I just had to have something to take home and reflect upon further.

This pilgrim, I can report - and I am sure the many others too who were also smiling/laughing out loud around the exhibits - has surely enjoyed her fantasic journey into the world of Grayson Perry. The exhibition has been extended for a further week until 26th February 2012 - seems almost sacrilege to the art world to even think of it being dismantled - would be lovely to have as a permanent exhibition.