Tuesday 15 October 2013

Turning in his grave?


I've just listened to the first of this year's Reith lectures given by the artist, Grayson Perry, above.

These annual lectures where instigated by the founding father of the BBC - Lord Reith - for the edification of the masses. Lord Reith was a devout Christian and stickler for formality - it wasn't that long ago when BBC newsreaders had to wear a formal dinner jacket with black bow tie, when giving the news live - on radio.

We are coming up to the 100th anniversary of the BBC, and I would have liked to have seen the look on Lord Reith's face when he saw who would be giving the lectures for 2013.

I surprised myself by actually enjoying Grayson Perry's lecture, and I think it made a lot of sense. He delivered it in the manner of a stand-up comedian, and it was peppered with quite a lot of stand-up type observations and got a lot of laughs from the select audience. Being radio, I don't know if he did it in drag or not, as it was never mentioned.

Lord Reith famously had a troubling experience when he commissioned another artist - Eric Gill - to carve the elaborate frieze above the door to Broadcasting House in London. Eric Gill - who was reportedly extremely well-endowed in the trouser department - finished it up a ladder, wearing a kilt and no underpants, in full view of the passing public.

21 comments:

  1. I love Grayson Perry's work, just as I loved his Reith lecture. Funnily enough, i thought exactly the same Tom.
    Having a close relative who is uncertain about his/her gender has made me very aware of such things and very slow to criticise and poke fun - which so many people do even in these so called enlightened days.
    But goodness me, how times have changed.

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    1. I - who know nothing - wonder if Mr Perry has sort of milked the frocks, just a teeny little bit?

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  2. I was surprised to enjoy it too and thought he talked a lot of sense about the pretentiousness and commercialism that can prevail in the art world.

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    1. Yes - those were the bits which provided the most laughs.

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  3. GP is worthy of a Reith Lecture. He is one of England's finest (I even rather like his frocks).

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  4. I am not a fan of his frocks ( he looks like kath kidston on speed) but I do find him amusing

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    1. I think acid rather than speed. He looks so butch without them though, eh? Those teeth!

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  5. I LOVE Grayson Perry and his lecture was great....... I also loved his documentary last year for Channel 4, All in the Best Possible Taste, in which he investigated British taste from strong, working class traditions in Sunderland, middle class taste in Tumbridge Wells and finally he explored taste amongst the upper classes in The Cotswolds, and in the last episode, he showed the series of six tapestries that he created, The Vanity of Small Differences.
    Sorry if I've just spouted a load of stuff that you probably already know Tom !!!! XXXX

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    1. No, I didn't know all that. He certainly can talk, which is probably how he ended up where he is today. Where is he today?

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  6. Wasn't he marvellous? He wore an A-line dress, sea green tights and pale orange shoes.

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    1. Seriously? (This is a serious question).

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    2. Yes, it said so on the R4 website for the programme see here:

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01jd24w

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  7. I saw him last night on Newsnight -- his outfit was very fetching indeed looked like a dark green velvet. I'd never heard him speak before and found what he had to say was very sensible and interesting, indeed.

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  8. I saw him for the first time last night on Newsnight and found him very interesting indeed. And the outfit he wore was very fetching -- dark green velvet! And the eyes were unforgettable.

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    1. I wonder if his next lecture will be identical to the last?

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    2. In his next lecture, I wonder if he will almost say exactly the same thing as the last one?

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  9. Dear Tom,
    sorry that I can't comment on a programme we cannot see here. But a question: is your email-account working? Sometimes I wonder.

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    1. You can't see it here either - it's radio.

      My email account doesn't work for one of my good German friends, but it works for you. I have just been too shocked at all those provocative poses involving you and many other handsome young men to respond to it. Time heals...

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    2. I'm mightily tempted to print here the forbidden sign: double dot - dash - grinning bracket...

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