Grayson Perry | Delusions of Grandeur

Grayson Perry has never shied away from confronting cultural norms with wit, color, and a touch of subversion—and his latest exhibition, Delusions of Grandeur, now showing at the Wallace Collection, is no exception. Running from March 28 to October 26, 2025, this marks the museum’s largest contemporary exhibition to date, featuring over 40 new works by the Turner Prize-winning artist.

Set against the ornate backdrop of the Wallace Collection’s Rococo interiors and gilded frames, Perry’s vibrant creations challenge the opulence around them while drawing on its history. The exhibition is deeply personal, shaped by Perry’s own struggle to connect with the grandeur of the collection. Rather than resist the disconnect, he embraced it, creating a fictional alter ego—Shirley Smith—a woman who, following a mental health episode, becomes convinced she is the rightful heir to the Wallace Collection. Through Shirley, Perry offers a lens to explore themes of identity, class, delusion, and the ways we relate to institutions of power and culture.

One of the exhibition’s central ideas is the contrast between traditional craftsmanship and the rapid rise of digital production. Perry juxtaposes handmade tapestries, ceramics, and sculptures with digitally generated images, pushing viewers to consider questions of authenticity, skill, and artistic labor. The result is a fascinating dialogue between the hand-crafted elegance of the 18th century and the pixelated immediacy of the 21st.

Perry also nods to the tradition of outsider art, drawing inspiration from artists like Madge Gill and Aloïse Corbaz—figures whose work was shaped by personal visions rather than formal training. Gill, who exhibited at the Wallace Collection in the 1940s, provides a historical thread that ties Perry’s introspective, often irreverent practice to a broader lineage of artists operating on the fringes of mainstream art.

The exhibition is as much about Perry’s reflections on his career and public persona as it is about the art itself. Turning 65 this year, Perry uses the show to take stock of his journey—from rebellious outsider to celebrated cultural commentator—while remaining sharply critical of the very systems that now embrace him.

Delusions of Grandeur is not simply an exhibition; it’s an ambitious and layered reimagining of what contemporary art can do within a historic space. It invites viewers to question not only what we see in museums, but how we see ourselves reflected—or erased—within those walls. Through humor, pathos, and a healthy dose of glitter, Grayson Perry has created a show that feels both disruptive and deeply rooted in tradition.

The exhibition runs to October 26 2025.