Overview

• The Tate Modern's 'Leigh Bowery!' exhibition opens February 27, showcasing over 50 of Bowery's iconic costumes alongside paintings, photographs, and videos documenting his influence on 1980s counterculture.
• Leigh Bowery, a Melbourne-born artist and nightlife icon, became a central figure in London's avant-garde scene, collaborating with figures like choreographer Michael Clark and painter Lucian Freud.
• The exhibition highlights Bowery's provocative performances, including his infamous onstage 'birth' act and his boundary-pushing exploration of identity, sexuality, and the body as art.
• Critics praise the vivid presentation of Bowery's flamboyant designs and archival material but note the show feels overly stretched with repetitive content and limited focus on his personal artistry.
• Bowery's legacy as a fearless cultural trailblazer is celebrated, but some question whether the exhibition's grand scale fully justifies his placement in Tate Modern's largest spaces.