The artist Grayson Perry, in conjunction with his female alter ego Claire, will receive the 25th Critics’ Circle Annual Award for Distinguished Services to the Arts in Britain on Friday, 28th March, in London at a lunch held at Elena’s L’Etoile in Charlotte Street.
Grayson Perry CBE, winner of the Turner Prize in 2003, and presenter of the 2013 Reith Lectures, titled ‘Playing to the Gallery’, will be the first visual artist to receive this award in the Circle’s 101 years.
A flamboyant artist he is as well known for his cross dressing persona Claire, as for his art, indeed the persona is a key element of his art. Since his earlier pots, which won him the Turner Prize in 2003, he has been committed to investigating the unsettling nature of life, through a variety of ‘craft’ media. He has developed the use of traditional techniques with a pronounced critical twist to puncture assumptions and to comment on contemporary society and in the process has to appealed to a diverse and often unexpected audience. His ‘Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman’ at the British Museum, his ‘In the Best Possible Taste’ series for Channel 4 and his recent Reith lectures have confirmed him as a British National Treasure.
Since 1988 the Circle has presented a special award to honour those who have rendered long and distinguished service to the arts. The award is voted for by the entire membership of the Circle, the professional association of British critics with each of the five sections, Drama, Music, Dance, Film and Visual Arts & Architecture nominating a candidate.
Grayson Perry has been nominated for his contribution not only to the Visual Arts and Architecture but for his services to the Arts.
The Circle was founded in 1913 and this celebratory lunch is the final event of the Circle’s centenary year which started in May last year.
Previous winners of the Award – the first recipient was Sir Peter Hall – have included Dame Judi Dench, Dame Helen Mirren, Sir David Lean, Alfred Brendel, Dame Alicia Markova, Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Alan Bennett, Sir Tom Stoppard, Ken Loach and two years ago Stephen Sondheim – unusual in that he is an American but his work has enjoyed possibly greater critical acclaim here than in the United States.
Corinne Julius Chair of the Visual Arts and Architecture section said
“We are delighted that a visual artist has won this prestigious award, normally the preserve of stars of stage or screen. It shows that the visual arts can more than hold their own in the competitive Arts world.”
The other nominees this year were Sir Nicholas Hytner, Sylvie Guillem, Jim Broadbent and Michael Kennedy, the music critic.
The 25th Critics’ Circle Annual Award for Services to the Arts of Britain will be held at Elena’s L’Etoile, 30 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 2NG www.criticscircle.org.uk
