And here’s a photograph of Leigh Bowery with the PVA decoration. It was only last century – the halcyon years of club culture of the 1980s , but what a time! He was perfectly placed with confidence and creativity to provide the world with a canvas, platform and stage for young people finding their way in the club scene. Bowery made all his own costumes, headdresses, decorations and astonishing makeup – all guaranteed to make him the focus of attention wherever he went.

Leigh Bowery left the sunny, suburbs of Melbourne, Australia in 1980 to move to London and invade the artistic scene of the capital with a captivating whoosh of energy and self-expression. His arrival into the ‘alternative culture’ was timed perfectly. He emerged at the same time as Trojan, Scarlett Cannon, Boy George and Princess Julia. Through sheer force of personality and ambition he established his own night club, Taboo, in 1985. Wearing outrageous and wonderful clothing was de-rigour for everyone frequenting the club. But Bowery was the King, and Queen, of outrageous.

The pressure must have been on for him to lead the way in reimagining his look every night and pushing the boundaries of entertainment and spectacle.

Bowery was also a muse for contemporary artist Lucian Freud who strips away all the artifice, literally, and captures the man beneath the mask in his impressive portraits.

Leigh Bowery died in 1994 at the age of 33 from an AIDS-related illness. But he certainly packed a great deal into his short life and has left an impressive legacy. If any artist wants to know what being creatively brave looks like, they should see this show.

It’s on at Tate Modern until 31st August 2025.