London: A new exhibition titled ‘Leigh Bowery!’ will open at Tate Modern, showcasing the late artist’s innovative costumes and art from 27 February to 31 August 2025, while exploring his profound influence on contemporary art, fashion, and the significance of self-expression in the 1980s club scene.
Leigh Bowery, a pioneering figure in 20th-century art and culture, is the focal point of a new exhibition at Tate Modern, opening from 27 February to 31 August 2025. The exhibition, entitled “Leigh Bowery!”, showcases his elaborate costumes, artworks, and videos, illustrating the significant impact he had on contemporary art, fashion, and popular culture.
Bowery, who was born in the suburb of Sunshine in Melbourne, Australia, in 1961 and passed away in 1994, was known for his fearless creativity across multiple disciplines, including performance art, fashion design, and music. His daring approach to clothing and makeup transformed these mediums into forms of expression that challenged traditional notions of aesthetics, gender, and sexuality. Speaking about his philosophy in a 1993 interview with The Guardian, Bowery stated, “the urge to categorise: if you label me, you negate me,” encapsulating his rejection of cultural norms.
The exhibition opens with Bowery’s arrival in London in 1980, coinciding with a period defined by its vibrant club culture, bolstered by the emergence of the “Blitz Kids.” This subcultural group frequented the club night at Blitz in Covent Garden, significantly influencing the “New Romantic” movement with their distinctive and androgynous styles. Bowery quickly integrated into this scene and later established his own nightclub, Taboo, in 1985. The venue became a haven for self-expression, allowing young people to explore and redefine their identities. His eclectic fashion choices, such as a full-body orange polka dot design and fabric masks, set him apart from his peers.
Despite his prominence in the club scene, Bowery struggled to transition into mainstream media. Sean O’Hagan of The Guardian observed that “the extravagant alter ego he crafted was too strange and threatening” to achieve the same level of acceptance as contemporaries like Boy George. Nevertheless, his presence on television programmes elicited strong reactions, often shocking audiences with his unconventional aesthetics.
Visitors to Tate Modern can expect to see Bowery’s intricate creations, many of which were handmade with collaborator Nicola Rainbird, who later became his wife. The exhibition also features a music and video installation created by filmmaker and DJ Jeffrey Hinton, designed to capture the dynamic energy of the Taboo milieu.
Bowery’s performances evolved notably when he collaborated with acclaimed dancer Michael Clark. Costume design played a pivotal role in their partnership, with Bowery staging groundbreaking pieces such as “Mirror” in 1988, which challenged the viewer’s experience of performance art by placing him in front of a two-way mirror for five consecutive days.
A significant chapter in Bowery’s artistic journey began with his close friendship with painter Lucian Freud, who created several nude portraits of him in the late 1980s. Featuring in the Tate’s exhibition, these works provide insight into Bowery’s complex relationship with his own body, a theme he embodied with his declaration that “flesh is the most fabulous fabric.”
A notorious performance piece by Bowery, introduced during the London club night “Kinky Gerlinky” in 1990, involved a theatrical simulation of childbirth. This performance, characterised by its audaciousness and boundary-pushing themes, exemplified Bowery’s commitment to exploring the human form’s limitations.
Over three decades after his untimely death due to AIDS-related illnesses, Bowery’s legacy remains potent, influencing contemporary figures across various fields, from the elaborate costumes seen on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” to the avant-garde outfits worn by pop icons like Lady Gaga. Tate Modern’s exhibition situates Bowery at the centre of artistic discourse, encouraging a deeper understanding of both his vibrant persona and the man behind the performance.
Source: Noah Wire Services
