Two stunning Grayson Perry artworks recently acquired by Manchester Art Gallery are about to go on show in a new display devised and curated by local teenagers.

Jane Austen in E17 and Print for a Politician were purchased in 2010 using donations from The Goldstone and Livingstone Family Trusts, the Art Fund and the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund.

They will go on display later this week together with objects from the gallery's collection - carefully selected to complement the Turner Prize-winning potter’s work.

Jane Austen in E17 is a large pot decorated with images of ladies in exquisite Regency costumes juxtaposed with Perry’s trademark metaphors of urban life. Print for a Politician meanwhile is one of his large-scale cartoon drawings – reminiscent of both Breughel and Goya in its gory detail – depicting an island being ravaged and destroyed by invading armies.

Working with gallery staff the budding curators have selected a number of unusual objects, texts, film and historic costumes as well as prints and ceramics from the gallery’s stores to accompany the two pieces. The idea is to make new connections between them and the objects in the collections.

As well as curating the display, which includes a Regency-period dress and bonnet, china teapots, a Barbie Fashionista doll and pants belonging to 1920s wrestling champ Douglas Clark, the young curators have made an accompanying Regency-influenced film, set in Manchester city centre.

The project will culminate with a workshop with Grayson Perry on January 31, which also coincides with a private viewing of the display for their family and friends.

For the teenagers, who spent their weekends and holiday time getting involved in the scheme, the chance to get an insight into curatorial practice and to interact with the works by Grayson Perry has been invaluable.

“I think Grayson Perry's pot is beautiful, and the print is really interesting to look at,” said 15-year-old Fahmida Ali from Levenshulme. “Visitors should come and see our display because we have given so much of our time to make this happen, and so has everyone at the gallery.” 

Another participant, 18-year-old Erin Miskell from Gorton, said the experience has encouraged her to become a curator.

“I'm so proud that my local art gallery has bought such fantastic entertaining artworks from one of Britain's most talented and eccentric artists,” she added. “Everyone should come and explore our display because it's a collaboration of ideas from young people who are genuinely enthusiastic about art.”

The project is part of Visual Dialogues, a partnership programme managed by Tate Britain working with regional museums and galleries.

It is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Children, Schools and Families as part of the Strategic Commissioning Programme for Museum and Gallery Education.