Leigh Bowery

Hmm where to begin with this man... oh I know. If you ever say this man is a normal artist and never had an influence to today's society... you be shanked, castrated, and murdered by his fans of today. Well that is what fans told me to say anyway lol.

Anyway....
Leigh Bowery is probably one of the more influenced artists during the 80's and 90's. Originally he started off as fashion designer, but due to his influence to the generation he took his work to another level. His artwork is the idea of what could be fashion. Because of this the generation who were influenced by his work  were called "The New Romantics".  These people would in clubs/parties that dress up their ideal fashion which are very expressive and different for "normal" part of the population. By dressing up the way they do a person could figure out their habits, personalities, etc.

In 1988, Bowery had a week long gallery show in the Anthony d'Offay's gallery in London. He was in a lounge surrounded by two way mirrors with different types of outfits by doing different poses by starting at his own reflection. This the audiences attention because he did not try to do anything to influence the audience, but rather just enjoy his reflection and poses he was doing. This narcissistic attitude  kept getting the audience's attention as they try to understand the type of clothing he would and appear as an alien cat.

In 1994, Leigh Bowery died due to aids. Bowery kept his HIV+ a secret because during the time it just meant a death mark, and he was afraid to be labeled as an artist with aids. If people were informed it would be possible that he would be alive today.