Grayson Perry’s Art Club leaves viewers ‘bawling’ after the British artist tells a vulnerable man who’s lost without routine in lockdown that he’ll put his clay models in a new exhibition
- Latest episode of Grayson Perry’s Art Club on Channel 4 saw Alex Robinson and his mum Rachel showing off the fantasy clay models that Alex loves to make
- Rachel explains her son is struggling during lockdown without routine and making his artwork and escaping into a fantasy world is keeping him happy
- Viewers admitted they were left in tears after Perry asked Alex if he could ‘borrow’ some of his figures for his upcoming lockdown exhibition
Art fans were left ‘bawling’ during the latest episode of Grayson Perry’s Art Club, after the colourful British artist asked a vulnerable man struggling with the loss of routine during lockdown if he could ‘borrow’ some of his work to exhibit.
The Channel 4 show sees Perry, 60, updating viewers on the work he’s producing lockdown and asking members of the public to contribute their own.
The final quarter of the latest installment of the show, which aired on Monday, left those watching at home moist of eye, after Perry asked Alex Robinson, who’s struggling with the loss of routine during lockdown, whether he could feature his artwork in an upcoming exhibition.
Viewers said the ‘joyous’ moment when a smiling Alex agreed to lend Perry, one of Britain’s most famous artists, his work had left them ‘in floods’ of tears.
The latest episode of Grayson Perry’s Art Club, on Channel 4, saw the British artist chatting with Alex Robinson and his mum Rachel about how art helps Alex, who struggles without routine, feel in control in the current ‘sea of uncertainty’ that is lockdown
Joyous: Rachel explains her son is struggling without routine and making his artwork – clay figures – and escaping into a fantasy world keeps him happy. The pair looked delighted when Perry, 60, asked if he could use Alex’s models in a forthcoming exhibition
Perry called Alex ‘inspiring’ and viewers at home struggled to contain their emotions when the young man was told his work would feature in an exhibition about how the public have made art during lockdown
Alex escapes into ‘Computer World’, explained his mum Rachel. She told Petty the few hours her son spends making clay figurines every week are the happiest she sees him
A grinning Alex and his mum, Rachel, responded that the hugely successful British artist could ‘borrow’ them for Perry’s planned exhibition on work produced by people during lockdown.
Earlier, Rachel had explained how her son creates characters in his head to enable him to feel in control.
Speaking to her son, she said art: ‘…gives you a sense of control because you can get very stressed in the real world when you don’t understand what’s happening, like with lockdown.
‘To be able to escape to your fantasy world, you’re in control. Making your figures gives you a bit of normality during lockdown when everything else you’ve lost, your structure, that you rely on so much.’
She added that her son was ‘happiest’ when he was sitting making figures and that art gave him ‘a bit of normality in a sea of uncertainty’.
Perry said that Alex was inspiring and showed how fantasy can play an important role in people’s lives.
Perry said Alex’s art was inspiring and that fantasy was important when creating new works
Some of the clay models made by Alex that could go in Perry’s new lockdown art exhibition
The weekly show has been a huge success for Channel 4 with the public sharing their art with Perry as he updates on what he’s been working on
On Twitter later, Perry wrote: ‘Overwhelmed by the positive response to tonight’s #C4ArtClub especially the lovely Alex. The whole team making the show are so talented and working so hard. Your comments are a real tonic.’
Alex’s mum responded: ‘Thank you so much Grayson for being so kind and insightful into Alex’s world and his 1,000s of computer works figures. He loved talking to you and we all enjoyed the wonderful Fantasy art programme.’
Those watching at home admitted they’d been reduced to tears by the interaction between the two art fans.
@SusiJacobs commented: ‘Alex was amazing, reduced me to tears. This whole series is fabulous Grayson, a highlight of the week.’
@pompei79 wrote: ‘I was a bag of tears watching that incredibly touching conversation with Alex and his cast of amazing creatures.’
@makedoandSEND posted: ‘I truly never expected to be so moved by a TV series but each episode has and the lovely Alex brought me to tears. What a great example of art enriching life & being a gateway to happiness.’
@JaneEdwards56 penned: ‘Alex proving exactly why art is vital. Thank you for bringing me to joyful tears. #c4artclub’