LEIGH BOWERY: ALWAYS & FOREVER

Leigh Bowery, photo by Ole Christiansen
Leigh Bowery, photo by Ole Christiansen

26th March would have been the birthday of Leigh Bowery (who passed away in 1994), genius and legendary Australian performer artist, club promoter, actor, pop star, model, and fashion designer (also for the Michael Clark Dance Company), based in London and was part of London Blitz Kids, New York City Michael Alig’s Club Kids and founder along with Boy George in 1985 of Taboo Club during the times of new-romantic movement. Today I remember him who is considered one of the more influential figures in the 1980s and 1990s London and New York City art and fashion circles, influencing a generation of artists and designers. His influence reached through the fashion, club and art worlds to impact, amongst others, Meadham Kirchhoff, Alexander McQueen, Lucian Freud, Vivienne Westwood, Boy George, Antony and the Johnsons, John Galliano, Gareth Pugh, Rick Owens, the Scissor Sisters, David LaChapelle, Lady Bunny along with many bands and nightclubs in London and New York City which arguably perpetuated his avant-garde ideas featuring the grotesque as non-conventional standard of beauty. Many are the books, documentary films, exhibitions and the permanent collections at Museums that celebrate his sign, that visionary attitude going beyond time and energy I love and pay homage always and forever.

LEIGH BOWERY: SEMPRE & PER SEMPRE

Leigh Bowery, photo by Nick Knight
Leigh Bowery, photo by Nick Knight

Il 26 marzo sarebbe stato il compleanno di Leigh Bowery (venuto a mancare nel 1994), geniale e leggendario performer artist australiano, club promoter, attore, pop star, modello e fashion designer(anche per la Michael Clark Dance Company) che ha vissuto a Londra ed ha fatto parte dei Blitz Kids di Londra, dei Club Kids di Michael Alig a New York ed ha fondato con Boy George nel 1985 il famoso locale Taboo ai tempi del movimento new-romantic. Oggi ricordo lui che è considerato una delle figure più emblematiche, avendo influenzato una generazione di artisti e designer. La sua influenza é giunta attraverso il mondo della moda, dei locali notturni e dell’ arte  per avere impatto, tra gli altri, su Meadham Kirchhoff, Alexander McQueen, Lucian Freud, Vivienne Westwood, Boy George, Antony and the Johnsons, John Galliano, Gareth Pugh, Rick Owens, the Scissor Sisters, David LaChapelle, Lady Bunny unitamente a svariati gruppi e locali notturni a Londra e New York City che presumibilmente hanno perpetrato le sue avveniristiche idee di cui è protagonista il grottesco quale, anticonvenzionale e sovversivo standard di bellezza. Molteplici sono i libri, i documentari, le mostre e le collezioni permanenti nei musei che celebrano il suo segno, quell’ estro visionario oltre il tempo ed energia che amo e a cui rendo omaggio sempre e per sempre.

Leigh Bowery and Lucien Freud working on his portrait
Leigh Bowery and Lucien Freud working on his portrait

 

Leigh Bowery by Lucien Freud, 1991, Tate Modern
Leigh Bowery by Lucien Freud, 1991, Tate Modern

 

Leigh Bowery/Alexander McQueen
Leigh Bowery/Alexander McQueen

 

Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen

 

Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen

 

Leigh Bowery/ Alexander McQueen
Leigh Bowery/ Alexander McQueen

 

 

Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen

 

Leigh Bowery/John Galliano
Leigh Bowery/John Galliano

 

Leigh Bowery/John Galliano
Leigh Bowery/John Galliano

 

John Galliano
John Galliano

 

Leigh Bowery/Jean Paul Gaultier
Leigh Bowery/Jean Paul Gaultier

 

Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier

 

Leigh Bowery/Gareth Pugh
Leigh Bowery/Gareth Pugh

 

Gareth Pugh
Gareth Pugh

 

Gareth Pugh
Gareth Pugh

 

Leigh Bowery/Margiela
Leigh Bowery/Margiela

 

Maison Margiela Fall/Winter 2013
Maison Margiela Fall/Winter 2013

 

Martin Margiela
Martin Margiela

 

Margiela
Margiela

 

Leigh Bowery/Michael Clark
Leigh Bowery/Michael Clark

 

 

photo by Sølve Sundsbø
photo by Sølve Sundsbø

 

Boy George
Boy George

 

Boy George and Leigh Bowery at the Taboo
Boy George and Leigh Bowery at the Taboo

 

Beth Ditto
Beth Ditto

 

Leigh Bowery & Nicola Bateman/ Rick Owens Spring/Summer 2016
Leigh Bowery & Nicola Bateman/ Rick Owens Spring/Summer 2016

 

Costume for a female performer designed by Leigh Bowery and made by Mr Pearl for 1987 dance performance, "Because We Must" by Michael Clark Dance Company (Victoria & Albert Museum Collections)
Costume for a female performer designed by Leigh Bowery and made by Mr Pearl for 1987 dance performance, “Because We Must” by Michael Clark Dance Company (Victoria & Albert Museum Collections)

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2vwxk1

book

 

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