One of last year's highlights, the program saw Grayson and Philippa Perry create art with the participation of both well-known people and the wider public.
Grayson Perry's work uses a near anthropological dive into topics most of us think about to engage an as-wide-as-possible audience.
I adore this idea because just as you do when reading a book when looking at art you become aware of someone else's point of view and are invited to take time to explore your own answers.
This, I find, is important.
Why? because in a world that places productivity above wellbeing, we often struggle to hear our thoughts let alone explore our answers to the big challenges of life.
Furthermore, I feel that in the past 20 years, there has been a widely spread narrative that has painted culture and the arts as the unproductive hobby of the elite (rather than the tools for personal growth and mental health).
This image often perpetuated by economy-led government actions and media portrayal has made the funding of culture and the arts seen as superficial, which is why cuts have rarely been challenged.
However, the experience of semi-permanent lockdown -where our access to the world has been severely limited- has provided a sharp focus by showing a glimpse of what a world without the arts could look like.
Empty.
I would love to think that we will learn from this, especially because as AI develops and robots take on jobs, culture, and art may hold the key to our future.
Re. the images on this post:
In 2020 Grayson Perry showed the works inspired by his "Big American Roadtrip" (2019), at the Victoria Miro Gallery.
Ironically titled "The MOST Specialest Relationship", the exhibition explored the many faces of Trump's America but also provided a mirror to evaluate one's own context and values as well as evidence of how much history repeats itself.
