An exhibition celebrating the work of Leigh Bowery will open in London in January. It will take place at The Fitzrovia Chapel, the only remaining building of the Middlesex Hospital, where Leigh died from AIDS on New Year’s Eve 1994.
Bowery has become something of a legend since his death. His work spanned fashion, art, music and more. With almost no budget, he created a series of extraordinary looks throughout the 80s. He anticipated the age of social media by a few decades. If he was around today he’d find a huge online following overnight.
We recently caught up with Sue Tilley, Leigh’s best mate, to discuss his life and work. She told us: “He did so much with the time he had. Before Leigh found out he had AIDS he’d have some days when he was so hungover he just laid on the sofa. We’d be on the phone chatting. But after he found out he was ill he worked every day. He knew he didn’t have time to waste.” Boy George immortalised Leigh in his musical Taboo.
According to the event organisers: “The Fitzrovia Chapel have worked with the Leigh Bowery Estate and in particular Nicola, whom he married shortly before his death, to create a stunning but poignant exhibition of Leigh’s costumes, presenting several of his iconic ‘looks’ against the backdrop of the gold mosaic ceiling and marble walls of the chapel. There will also be a specially produced short film with interviews with some of Leigh’s close friends and collaborators.”
This exhibition will be a great event to welcome in 2022 in style. Sue summed up Leigh’s legacy: “An inspiration to everyone of how to live your life. Don’t be scared and do what you want to do. If people don’t like it just carry on.”
London was different in the 80s, but Leigh’s approach to self-made fashion and self-expression places him firmly in the now. Have you seen Drag Race? Hello, the competition may as well have been designed for Leigh Bowery. He would have smashed every single challenge.
His life may have been cut short but his work lives on. You can see traces of Leigh in so many aspects of popular culture. You can find out more about Leigh Bowery’s life and art on a recent podcast episode we recorded with Sue Tilley.