Grayson Perry, Huhne Vase

Question 1

date

Answer 1

2014

Question 2

exhibited

Answer 2

part of exhibition of 14 portraits displayed in the national portrait gallery

exhibitiion called ‘who are you’

Question 3

what was the technique used

Answer 3

COIL POT-

perry builds a coil pot via pottery and the craped down surface to make it completely smooth

decorated via mishma technique (coloured designs and scraping excess class way)

adds coat of slip (colour added to watery clay used as bade for decoration)

uses pre made terracotta stamps to add design

applies another layer of slip and allows to dry

pot glazed then fired

pot smashed and then repaired using Japanese technique kintsugi using resin then sanded and goveredin gold

Question 4

what is the mishma technique

Answer 4

decorated via mishma technique (coloured designs and scraping excess class way

Question 5

whats kintsugi

Answer 5

pot smashed and then repaired using Japanese technique kintsugi using resin (lacquer from trees) then sanded and goveredin gold

Question 6

whats the guerilla tactic

Answer 6

using medium of pottery to provoke thought

Question 7

materials

Answer 7

ceramic, clay, slip, resin (lacquer from trees), gold resin

Question 8

inspiration

Answer 8

ancient pottery

japanese techniques

Question 9

sitter

Answer 9

Chris huhne

disgraced former liberal democrat Secretary of State and minister for climate change

imprisoned for 9 moths for perverting the court of justice after encouraging his now estranged wife to take the blame for a speeding offence he was caught in MII (LIED TO COURT ABOUT IT)

Integrety undermined when it was revealed he was having a long term affair with his press secretary

Question 10

what are perrys views on huhne

Answer 10

‘white middle class man facing colllapse of power and status he once enjoyed)

stereotype of patriarchy: white, middle class, heterosexual man

Question 11

what does perry believe his duty is

Answer 11

to portray the truth of identity

Question 12

who did huhne liken himself to

Answer 12

a modern day ‘saint sebastian’ a figure peirced with arrows and attacked from all sides

(chris disagreed and saw as ironic as arrows would reflect reflect his sense of invincibility)

Question 13

why is it presented in a greek traditional style of a vase

Answer 13

huhne represents greek values of masculinity, power and ego

masculine go ‘will they ever learn’ irony added to vase by depiction of modern figure having the same values (reference to huhns egotistical nature remaining unchanged despite everything)

Question 14

why was perry frustrated in his interviews of huhne

Answer 14

huhne showed no remorse (hence the use of kinsugi and kinsugi references the importance of vunerability)

Question 15

Significance of pot form

Answer 15

emphasises vunerability as fragile

guerrilla tactic

greek vases were a form of storytelling

Question 16

symbols and motifs

Answer 16

glazed green body of pot decorated in repeated motifs:

lieral democrat party symbols,

his personalised number plate (HIINE)

phalluses (affair, nctrolled sexual desire leading to downfall)

a stylised cartoon like portrait of huhne looking ashamed

intersped with mobile phones

prison bars

Question 17

whats the japanese philosophy of mushin and how does kinsugi relate

Answer 17

mushin= concepts of non attachment, acceptance of fate (importance of vunerability)

use of kintsugis golden joinery smooth cracks relate to mushin as the damaged implicxated by huhne is emphasised