‘I WOULD HAVE FALLEN APART HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE ART WORLD'

WE CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF TURNER PRIZE-WINNING POTTER GRAYSON PERRY WHO INSPIRED MILLIONS TO FIND THEIR INNER ARTIST

-  ANGELA HAGAN

When he won the Turner Prize in 2003, Grayson Perry made just as much of an impression with his acceptance of the accolade as he had with his art.

Dressed as Little Bo Peep, he joked: “It’s about time a transvestite potter won.”

The ceramic artist was suddenly a household name – and as well as challenging artistic convention with his creations, he tested prejudices around transvestism.

The 61-year-old has said of his crossdressing, which led to the emergence of his colourful alter-ego, Claire: “I do it because I want to do it. I don’t have an agenda with it… I like dressing up.”

And Grayson has certainly always liked dressing up. While he was a student in the late 1970s, he shared a house with Stephen Jones, who would become a world-famous milliner, and flamboyant pop star Boy George. Unsurprisingly, they all competed to wear the most outrageous outfits.

But his earliest attempts to express himself, after realising he was a transvestite aged around 13, led to his volcanic-tempered mum Jean kicking him out.