Grayson Perry, one of Britain’s best known contemporary artists, gave a lecture titled “The Very English Business of Art, Class and Taste” before a 400-strong audience at the Concert Hall of Banja Luka’s Banski Dvor Cultural Centre.

The exclusive lecture by one of today’s most eccentric artists was organised jointly by the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Republic of Srpska and the British Council. It introduced the exhibition “The Vanity of Small Differences”, which opened the same night at the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Republic of Srpska and was attended by the artist himself.

This was a unique opportunity for the audience to get to know the exibiting artist, who held the lecture dressed as Claire, his alter ego.

In 2003, Grayson Perry won the Turner Prize, Britain’s most coveted award for contemporary art. He received it as his alter ego Claire, dressed in women’s clothes, to show his interest in identity, which is also easily seen in his art. This earned him popularity and the love of the British public; since becoming famous, he has hosted television and radio programmes and spoken on behalf of art, while exhibiting his works, speaking openly and bluntly about its value for society.

Perry’s hour-long lecture in Banja Luka was a chance for the appreciative audience to learn about his fascination with issues concerning interpretations of the taste and class of British society, as well as about his long-lasting artistic explorations, which resulted in “All in the Best Possible Taste with Grayson Perry”, a documentary series produced by Channel 4, which won the prestigious BAFTA Award, and the exhibition “The Vanity of Small Differences”. Beside his fascination with taste and class divisions, Perry talked to the audience about his views on issues bothering today’s society, including provocative subjects such as religion, sex/gender, policy and identity.