Ever get the feeling that there isn’t much ‘new’ in the world anymore? That everything that was innovative has been thought of, created, packaged and expired? Me too.
This weekend I watched a documentary about Leigh Bowery, who was truly one of the most iconic people in the performance art scene in the UK in the late 80s and early 90s. How did I hear about Bowery? Lady Gaga had been compared to him, that what she was doing was really no different than what he did. And this comparison was fairly accurate. Bowery had a wild imagination, fusing opulence with a dirty underbelly of macabre that was made evident not only in his fashion, but in his art as well, whether as a living art installment, a musical act or dancer.
It’s clear that Bowery has influenced Gaga, as well as the likes of designers Pugh and the late Alexander McQueen. But am I surprised? No. Art is nothing but imitation of something else that’s already been done.
Art inspires a love or hate response from the viewer and (hopefully, as is the intent of all artists I daresay) elicits an artistic expression in response. Art begets art, in theory. People like Bowery did what they did in order to push people’s buttons and allow themselves to fully play in the world in which we live, outside of the constraints – both social and moral – that we silently abide by.
Bowery pushed the boundaries of imagination to allow freedom, a theme further cemented by the likes of Madonna (to a tamer, lesser, more mainstream degree) and ultimately of Gaga (to a mainstream degree, but more in line with the outlandish outfits and performances that had the hint of darkness). However, when pushing these lines to the extreme, people often ostracize themselves and become untouchable on a human level. And the amount of energy to constantly be innovative and daring and outspoken certainly takes its toll. Bowery seemed lonely and never had a ‘true love,’ of his life.
All humans seek out the need to shine because we all want attention. We all want to be loved and adored and have people think that what we do or say or wear is just totally cool. Out of fear of being this ostracized figure, we conform to a degree so as to fit in with society and allow us to be liked by a myriad of people. Isn’t the goal to be hated by the least amount of people as possible? I think so.
The documentary made me more aware of the fragility of people who overextend their creativity to such gigantic proportions. While you can turn it up to ‘11′ and wow everyone, there has to be the other side of the coin where you represent the minuscule, introverted self as well. Life is balance and while the grandness of Gaga is refreshing in a society and world that is currently devoid of imagination, of creativity, of daring and of risk, I’m not sure how much longer she can keep up this game.
But I also think of Gaga and her age. All 20 somethings spend that decade in their life really pushing boundaries of their personal comfort, figuring out who they are so as to be really comfortable in their own skin. Whether in the public eye or not, it’s something everyone does. But eventually, we all quiet down. You reach a point where simplicity in life is more elusive and desirable than drunken nights, crazy stories and over the top behavior. And that is the point when you stop proving yourself to others for the sake of their love and realize that you love yourself, regardless of what you do with your life.
That moment is bliss.
