• Playing to the Gallery

  • Helping Contemporary Art in Its Struggle to Be Understood
  • By: Grayson Perry
  • Narrated by: Grayson Perry
  • Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (99 ratings)

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Playing to the Gallery  By  cover art

Playing to the Gallery

By: Grayson Perry
Narrated by: Grayson Perry
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Publisher's summary

"It's easy to feel insecure around art and its appreciation, as though we cannot enjoy certain artworks if we don't have a lot of academic and historical knowledge. But if there's one message that I want you to take away it's that anybody can enjoy art and anybody can have a life in the arts - even me! For even I, an Essex transvestite potter, have been let in by the artworld mafia."

Now Grayson Perry is a fully paid-up member of the art establishment, he wants to show that any of us can appreciate art (after all, there is a reason he's called his book Playing to the Gallery and not Sucking Up to the Academic Elite).

In this live recording from the Reith Lectures (2013), he talks about his own funny, personal journey through the art world and answers the basic questions that might occur to us in an art gallery but seem too embarrassing to ask. Questions such as: What is good or bad art - and does it even matter? Is there any way to test if something is art, other than a large group of people standing around looking at it? Is art still capable of shocking us or have we seen it all before? Can you be a lovable character and a serious artist - what is a serious artist anyway? And what happens if you place a piece of art in a rubbish dump?

©2014 Grayson Perry (P)2014 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about Playing to the Gallery

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Not a book

This is four lectures availble for free at the BBC website which is why I gave it a bad review. The four lectures though where fantastic.

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10 people found this helpful

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Substance Behind the Shimmering Eyeshadow

Would you listen to Playing to the Gallery again? Why?

You can't afford an art piece created by Grayson Perry so for a single Audible credit have a listen to his insightful contemporary art world overview. I did and will again.

What did you like best about this story?

Listening is like being with Perry after his bath but before the makeup. Although Perry is in his customary drag attire when delivering his orations there are no distractions from his messages which are humorously honest and at times ...just honest.

Which character – as performed by Grayson Perry – was your favorite?

Grayson Perry is a character of himself in this biographical reflective psychoanalysis of the contemporary art world.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

A little laughter and a lot of reflection.

Any additional comments?

A trustworthy one point perspective of contemporary art history from the self proclaimed cynical artist Grayson Perrry .

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1 person found this helpful

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  • A
  • 10-26-16

Joyful and inspiring

Grayson Perry is marvelous; his perspective on the art world is refreshing and lighthearted, yet aptly serious when necessary. A short listen, but I found myself laughing along with the audience, and inspired by how he defines quality. The man is a joker, but he really knows his stuff - can't recommend enough. Only caveat - too short to use your credits for! Buy this one, and save the credit for something longer.

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