Often seen as a lower art form than painting, Perry deploys the 'craft' status of ceramics to push back against the hierarchy of artistic production. The medium has long been central to his working practice. “I like pottery because it’s humble," he has said. "It’s not hubristic like a lot of contemporary art can be. I like the fact that it offers me a wide range of techniques to work with.”
In this piece Perry combines various photographic prints and drawn figures to create a shifting and enigmatic narrative. Fascinated by the intersection of class and taste, his decision to create a work in the form of a plate is loaded with sociological meaning. Commemorative plates were enormously popular during the 1970's and 80's, signifying the good taste of the collector. Desirable and valuable objects that were intended to be beautiful, they were highly coveted. In the early 21st century their appeal has diminished and their previously robust market has declined. In this piece aspiration has turned to decay, and images of the home are interspersed with a motorcyclist and gun-toting children.
The pithy social commentary, combined with the outwardly seductive appearance of an object that once represented taste and wealth, gives this piece the typical stealthy wit and biting analysis that have made Perry one of the most acclaimed artists working today.
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