Grayson Perry: Them & Us

English contemporary artist Grayson Perry is the master of many art forms including ceramics, photography and embroidery, and this week he will bring his newest live show, Them & Us, to Sydney audiences. Grayson is a Turner prize-winning artist and BAFTA-winning TV presenter, whose upcoming live show will explore cultural divisions amongst the world’s current climate. 

Grayson shared how his personal interest in how sociology plays a part in creating content for his live shows saying, “I suppose it comes out of…I’m a kind of an amateur sociologist and I look at the world and I kind of see a lot of social, political and cultural issues now. We’re more and more polarized, probably because of the internet more than anything.”

As an artist, Grayson seeks to create content that both he and his audience will relate to.

“I think whatever interests and amuses me, I’m the same as my audience, you know I’m not special. I think my audience are the same kind of people as me.”

Regardless of the medium, Grayson’s art reflects vulnerability and an insight into his thought process as an artist, and this vulnerability plays an important part in his work. 

“I think it’s absolutely vital to be vulnerable with audiences because it shows a sort of generosity. Vulnerability is a very important part of communication, it shows that you have the same worries and anxiety as the audience. It also shows that you worry about what they think.”

Grayson is excited to get his audience thinking as part of the Them & Us tour, saying: “I like to catch people out and make them think about the things that they don’t know they need to think about.”

Jan 16. State Theatre, 49 Market St, Sydney. $89-$119+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.statetheatre.com.au

By Madison Behringer.