King's College London

Speaking in the Great Hall, Grayson Perry gave a provocative and inspiring lecture that examined the enduring influence of classical civilisation on modern culture. Drawing on stories from his own life and career, Perry reflected on his personal ambivalence towards  classical aesthetics. 

During the lecture, Perry described his complicated relationship with classical style and how it has been appropriated. He traced encounters with Greek and Roman culture from childhood, including the neoclassical architecture of Chelmsford town hall, to the influence of films, his aunties 'nick-nacks' and his later experiences as an artist working with museums and art institutions. In so doing, he described his strong reactions against visual cliché while also questioning the modes in which the classical has been used to underpin class and power.

“There’s a ghost of classical civilisation that is haunting me in the back of my mind,” Perry said. “I didn’t realise it until someone stopped me in the street and asked me to give this lecture.”

Perry explained that his critique is directed at the cultural authority that classical civilisation has acquired in Western establishment, from politics to education and cultural institutions. References to Greece and Rome, he argued, have been used to reinforce particular ideas about social hierarchies and good taste built upon an aesthetic of perfectionism and restraint. The lecture combined personal reflection with examples from his artistic practice, including ceramics that respond to political and cultural themes, while also calling for greater focus on skilled making and prioritising the experience of the whole body over just the mind.

Throughout the lecture, Perry connected his experiences as an artist with broader debates. He argued that classical sculpture and architecture have often been treated as universal standards of beauty, shaping aesthetic values in Western culture. Perry suggested that this tradition can sometimes narrow the range of influences within art and education, adding to his “deep allergy to cliches”. He argued that other cultures and artistic traditions offer equally rich sources of inspiration. His own artistic interests have drawn on a wide range of influences, including personal stories and global traditions. The lecture also addressed important questions about education and knowledge. Perry reflected on how classical learning has historically been associated with elite education and social status in Britain, shaping perceptions of cultural authority. He looked back on his own experiences at school with having to learn Latin or engage with Romano-British material culture while humorously acknowledging that, “Autobiography is not a good form of analysis”.