Instant Classics Classic Chats: Grayson Perry on why he hates classical civilisation
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Apr 23, 2026 Grayson Perry, Turner Prize winning artist known for ceramics and tapestries, explains why he declared his dislike of classical civilisation. He recalls Latin lessons, rejects simple classical influences on his work, and rails against classical clichés in British taste. He debates museums, craft versus AI, and how classics have served both radicals and reactionaries.
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How A Chance Street Request Sparked A Provocative Lecture
- Grayson Perry was asked on the street to give the Rumble lecture and blurted “I hate classical civilisation,” which became the lecture's premise.
- He then reverse-engineered his life and work to explain that visceral childhood-to-school antipathy.
Childhood Encounters That Turned Into Aversion
- Grayson recounts touching Romano‑British pots at primary school and doing Latin for three years at secondary school, which he disliked.
- A bullying Latin teacher and tedious drills started his long antipathy to classical education.
Classical Form As A British Cultural Cliché
- Perry sees classical style as an overused cliché embedded in British taste and architecture, which he pushes against as an artist.
- He avoids Greek models in favour of Islamic, Chinese, Japanese and African influences to resist that orthodoxy.
