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Bowie is
Live screening from the V&A
Bowie is a Dandy, for whom costume is an art form Influenced by the Hollywood publicity still , European film and fashion magazines
His choreography was learned from Lindsey Kemp in the late 1960's
He had an early desire to fuse music and visuals on stage
Gender Play
In the late 1960's/early 1970's had started cross dressing as part of his act, wearing a 'man dress designed by Michael Fish
He adopted seductive 'feminine poses and 'femininine' gesturing ie self touching of hair, dreamy expression reminiscent of Hollywood poses of women stars
For the back of hunky Dory album he is seen in a pose reminsicent of Katherine Hepburn, long haired and referencing the pre-Raphaelites
For Ziggy Stardust there is a reversal with shorter hair, a garish jumpsuit and boots inspired by A Clockwork Orange and on th reverse of the album cover he stands in a jockstrap in a phone box adopting drag queen mannerisms.This gay persona was at odds with the' rough trade look at the at the time which was more of a 'hyper masculine' look rather than Bowies fey appearance.
The Ziggy character was developed during a tour, Futuristic costumes were designed for him by Yamamoto and Bowie referred to him as an 'Alien Rock Messiah'.
Infuenced by Japanes cultureThe Ziggy character was then developed more and gender boundaries pushed further when Bowie hybridized the samurai warrior and a kabuki onnagata, which is a male actor who plays female roles. This was combined with the wearing of a feather boa, and gesturing and behaviour that aligned to the sleaze of German cabaret and Weimar decadence in the form of
suggestive gesturing and simulated sexual acts with his guitarist.
Sharon McElroy