Leigh Bowery

The Rule Breaking Visionary Rules Again.

Leigh Bowery, the audacious artist, performer, and provocateur, takes centre stage at Tate Modern in London, a groundbreaking exhibition that pays homage to his radical contributions to art, fashion, and performance. Running from February 27 to August 31, 2025, ‘Leigh Bowery!’ explores the unparalleled creative force of a man who defied conventions and redefined the boundaries of self-expression. This retrospective, the first of its kind, gathers Bowery’s extravagant costumes, photography, film, and paintings to celebrate his enduring impact on contemporary culture.

Emerging from the suburban landscape of Sunshine, Australia, Bowery arrived in London in 1980, where he swiftly immersed himself in the underground club scene. His outlandish and meticulously crafted outfits became legendary, transforming him into an icon of self-invention. Central to this exhibition are more than 20 of Bowery’s intricate costumes, designed in collaboration with Nicola Rainbird and corsetier Mr Pearl. These outfits, sculptural in their form, illustrate how Bowery used clothing as a canvas for his artistic vision, testing the limits of both fashion and the human body.

Photographs by Fergus Greer and John Maybury’s films capture Bowery’s theatrical transformation of himself into otherworldly beings. His influence extended far beyond the club scene, shaping the aesthetics of drag, performance art, and high fashion. His 1985 club night, Taboo, provided a space of boundless creativity where artists and misfits could explore their identities freely. Unperformed images like, ‘Leigh Bowery: Waiting for elevator, home’, showing the Artist arriving home, presumably from a night out, to Farrell House, his high rise, Star Trek wallpapered, home, on Commercial Road in Stepney, East London, and many other photographic snap shots, evoke the hedonistic energy of this era, immersing visitors deeply within in Bowery’s world of provocation and liberation.

Bowery’s influence was not confined to the nightclub. His decade-long collaboration with choreographer Michael Clark, as seen in the films ‘Hail the New Puritan’ (1986) and ‘Because We Must’ (1989), further showcased his ability to transcend artistic mediums. A highlight of the exhibition is his 1988 performance at Anthony d’Offay Gallery, where he posed behind a twoway mirror for five days, challenging the nature of spectatorship and self-exhibition.

In the late 1980s, Bowery’s relationship with renowned painter Lucian Freud marked another pivotal moment in his career. Freud’s stark and unflinching portraits of Bowery, several of which are displayed in the exhibition, contrast sharply with Bowery’s own self-curated image. These paintings reveal an intimacy and vulnerability rarely associated with the performer’s flamboyant public persona.

The exhibition also highlights Bowery’s final creative endeavour—his music career with the band Minty. Known for its provocative performances, Minty encapsulated Bowery’s signature blend of humour, shock, and theatricality. His final performance at London’s Freedom Café in 1994, attended by the likes of Lucian Freud and Alexander McQueen, solidified his influence on both the art and fashion worlds.

‘Leigh Bowery!’ is more than a retrospective—it is an invitation to step into the audacious universe of a true iconoclast. Tate Modern’s celebration of Bowery not only honours his legacy but also underscores the continued relevance of his artistic rebellion in today’s conversations on gender, identity, and self-expression. This exhibition cements Bowery’s place as one of the most fearless and innovative figures of the 20th.

Written by Marcus Woodcock