Waltz Your Way Through the Grandeur of Potted Art

You may be aware that the Turner Prize-winning artist Sir Grayson Perry is far from mundane; colourful, expressive and complete with his alter-ego, Claire. The renowned British artist has worked with various mediums but is mainly recognised for his ceramic creations and tapestries. Come March 28, the Wallace Collection will host an exhibition unlike anything before; aptly titled ‘Delusions of Grandeur’, the showcase offers an unfiltered response to the centuries of art history displayed through the museum’s hallowed halls. Read more in Waltz Your Way Through the Grandeur of Potted Art

Image on left-hand side: Grayson Perry, Untitled, from a selection of drawings by Shirley Smith, 2022–24. 42 x 30 cm, 16 1/2 x 11 3/4 in © Grayson Perry. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro

Sir Grayson Perry is a larger-than-life, true British character who also happens to be a widely acclaimed artist. His new show at the Wallace Collection allows viewers to venture into his world, filled with characters and contradictions.

From March 28 to October 26, the show ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ marks the largest contemporary showcase in the Wallace Collection’s history.

Through intricately crafted ceramics, bold tapestries, digitally enhanced collages and more, Perry presents a dialogue between his art and the iconic masterpieces in the museum.

Drawing upon the abundance of inspiration found in the collection’s 18th-century French Rococo, an ornamental style that emphasises floral patterns and sinuous curves, Perry will challenge the notion of what it means to produce art in the 21st century.

Grayson Perry, I Know Who I Am, 2024. Cotton fabric and embroidery appliqué. 234 x 234 cm, 92 1/8 x 92 1/8 in © Grayson Perry. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro

‘Delusions of Grandeur’ is both a reflection of the ornate artworks Perry found inspiring (and some rather not) and a nod to how art may be perceived in the future. Many of the objects Perry created for the exhibition were made with the help of computers; the combination of hand-crafted and digitally-produced pieces represents the ongoing tug-of-war between what art has been and what art will be. 

Perry argues that AI will make us consider what it means to be human. How will ingenuity manifest in an era of rapid technological advancement?

“I am fascinated by the dialogue between this digital promise of precision and the animal chaos of our bodies and feelings acting on real materials…In the past, perfection was the highest attainment of the most skilled. Since the Industrial Revolution, machines have been able to make things with flawless precision; now computers can conceive and design as well. What is left for us artists to do?”

Grayson Perry

The collective use of AI has increased rapidly; between robots writing our emails to ordering our groceries, how we live our everyday lives is changing.

Art, posing as our perpetual mirror, reflects just that. For example, it once took months or years to complete a painting, while now, an image can be generated with the click of a button. Can artists maintain their originality in our increased reliance on artificial intelligence?

Time can only tell, but one can argue that the energetic, imaginative personality that accompanies an artist, especially in a series of works such as Perry’s, cannot be mimicked. Art needs human emotion to be impactful, because surely, what is any creative process without a person’s heart poured into it? Digital tools may aid artists in their creations but never truly replace them; authenticity cannot be programmed into a computer.

Grayson Perry © Richard Ansett, shot exclusively for the Wallace Collection, London

Beyond questioning how people may discern the difference between art made by humans and computers going forward, Perry’s dialogue with the works in the Wallace Collection expands on the connection between the art of the past and contemporary life by touching on the rigid gender norms that permeate them.

Many themes of his art touch on the complexity of gender roles and identity. At the heart of his vision for ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ lies his persona of Shirley Smith, an imagined woman who awakens in the Wallace Collection after experiencing a mental health crisis, believing herself to be the rightful heir to the treasures surrounding her.

“Grayson Perry is an artist who engages with the world like no other. His work resonates deeply with the viewer—questioning, provoking, and reflecting contemporary society from the sublime to the absurd. It has been a privilege to work with him on this exhibition. Our time together has provided me with a new perspective on the Collection, and I cannot wait to share the vision with the public.”

Xavier Bray, Director of The Wallace Collection

Grayson Perry, Saint Millicent Upon Her Beast, 2024. Brass. 98.2 x 29.5 x 71 cm, 38 5/8 x 11 5/8 x 28 in © Grayson Perry. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro

According to Perry, Shirley Smith’s presence prompts personal reflection, raising questions regarding what her existence is a manifestation of.

Is she a rejection of traditional elements of toxic masculinity, such as aggression or violence, a surrogate for his mother, or a sub-version of himself?

Grayson Perry, Grayson Perry, Alan Measles and Claire meet Shirley Smith and The Honourable Millicent Wallace, 2024 © Grayson Perry. Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro

“Creating exhibitions with museums has always been a source of joy for me, formalising my lifelong interest in reinterpreting artefacts through my own lens. Working with the Wallace Collection has offered both excitement and a unique challenge: I was captivated by the craftsmanship seen in the collection, but I struggled with the opulent aesthetic which I found cloying at times. Fortunately, I worked out a strategy that helped me find a fresh perspective. I am very grateful to Xavier Bray for planting the seed of this exhibition in my head and to the staff and trustees of the Wallace Collection for allowing me to play in their jewel box.”

Grayson Perry

Perhaps what Shirley represents does not matter as much as the questions her presence raises for those viewing the exhibition. She personifies a broad landscape of interpersonal complexities, and if she prompts reflection from the artist who created her, she will undoubtedly inspire it in others.

What one will take from ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ is subjective, but humanity’s presence in art is not. To participate in any artistic innovation, AI needs art; art, however, does not need AI. As inventive as technology has become and will continue to be, it cannot replace the human spirit that is intricately woven into works such as Sir Grayson Perry’s.

Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur at The Wallace Collection 28 March – 26 October 2025

If you enjoyed reading Waltz Your Way Through the Grandeur of Potted Art then why not try Larger Than Life: The Power of Monumental Sculptures

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