A vulnerable man whose creation of clay figurines helped him cope with the loss of routine during lockdown left viewers in tears when he finally saw them on display at Grayson Perry’s exhibition.
In last night’s episode of Channel 4’s Grayson Perry’s Art Club, the colourful British artist, 60, could be seen paying a socially distanced visit to Alex Robinson, from Twickenham, who learned in a previous episode that his artwork had been selected to feature in the upcoming exhibition.
But Alex’s mother Rachel explained how he had been struggling during lockdown and said: ‘There’s been some difficult times and difficult things.’
‘It’s been difficult. I think Alex has found it very, very hard to have all of his routine taken away from him basically. But making the figures has been a real focus because he loves making them, he loved being on the programme and with you telling him they’ll be in the exhibition, that gave him a focus.’
And when the big moment came for Alex to finally see his artwork on display, he was overwhelmed with emotion and beamed: ‘Wow! Wonderful. They’re great! Really great. It makes me feel proud.’
In last night’s episode of the Channel 4 show, Alex Robinson, from Twickenham, whose creation of clay figurines helped him cope with the loss of routine during lockdown, left viewers in tears when he finally saw them on display an an exhibition (pictured)
The vulnerable man showed the British artist, 60, his impressive fantasy clay models in person (pictured)
Taking to social media, one person commented: ‘Alex does represent the importance of art. He’s a star’ (pictured)
Unsurprisingly, many viewers were reduced to tears by the touching moment, with one person writing: ‘Alex does represent the importance of art. He’s a star.’
A second penned: ‘I’m not crying, you’re crying. What an incredible collection of art, and a very special group of contributors. Well done,’ while a third added: ‘Grayson’s Art Club is pure, unfiltered human spirit…It’s a lovely beautiful heart-wrenching thing.’
The Channel 4 show sees Perry updating viewers on the work he’s producing lockdown and asking members of the public to contribute their own.
‘Of all the people of contributed to art club, there was one whose work made me think most about why all artists make art,’ said Perry, at the beginning of the episode.
And as Alex placed each individual figurine on the table in front of him for the artist to peruse in his back garden, Perry exclaimed: ‘They’re absolutely amazing. So, they’ll be in the museum in six months. They are so impressive as a group and I think people will go “OMG” when they see them.’
Alex squealed in excitement and when Grayson added his collection would be featuring among some very famous artists, Alex left everyone giggling when he responded: ‘Of course!’
Grayson, one of Britain’s most famous artists (pictured), went on to say how viewers of the programme had picked up on what art does for people and said ‘it’s a solace.’
Perry paid a socially distanced visit to Alex (pictured, centre) to see his clay figurines in person
When the big moment came for Alex to finally see his artwork on display, he was overwhelmed with emotion (pictured)
One person commented: ‘So touched by Alex’s story and his incredible models. What a beautifully essential outlet art can be’ (pictured)
But Alex’s mother explained how lockdown hadn’t been plain-sailing for her son.
‘The figurines have provided him with a structure away from the real world which he finds difficult,’ she said. ‘Al can’t cross a road on his own, so he’s limited. He can’t go out on his own and day-to-day life skills are limited.’
Grayson, one of Britain’s most famous artists, went on to say how viewers of the programme had picked up on what art does for people and said ‘it’s a solace.’
‘I think Alex illustrates it in a really pure form which people like to see,’ he explained. ‘I think we all identify with that process, everyone who makes art.’
Rachel added: ‘It’s an escapism isn’t it.’
A previous 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
It came after fans were left ‘bawling’ during a previous episode when Perry asked Alex if he could ‘borrow’ some of his work to feature in an upcoming exhibition.
Viewers said the ‘joyous’ moment when a smiling Alex agreed to lend Perry his work had left them ‘in floods’ of tears.
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’