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Last broadcast on Sun, 22 Nov 2009, 00:15 on BBC Four (see all broadcasts).
Synopsis
Documentary in which art historian Dr Gus Casely-Hayford explores the state of British art in 2009. Set against the backdrop of a contemporary art bubble that has burst, he spends the summer speaking to artists about their work and their thoughts about the future.
Following a period in which discussions about prices of art have dominated, this is a film about art itself rather than the market or the celebrities it created. Gus journeys from whitewashed studios to squats to explore what British artists are making, where they are making it and how things have changed.
Meeting a spectrum of those who call themselves artists, from Turner Prize-winner Grayson Perry to those just out of college, Gus asks whether a new era in art is dawning and whether there is a reason to be optimistic.
Photo: Grayson Perry
Pictured here in his studio, Grayson Perry is known for his work in ceramics, for which he won the Turner Prize in 2003. Perry, who is a cross-dresser, accepted the award dressed as his female alter-ego, 'Claire'.
Modern Beauty
This programme was part of Modern Beauty - a BBC Two and Four season which examined the perception of beauty both in modern and classical art forms.
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