My purpose in providing background on those three events is to help paint a picture of Lucian Freud and his subject of Leigh Bowery when creating Leigh Bowery (Seated). I also used these events to explain what this painting was doing socially at the time it was created. This painting, which was done in 1990, was a bold statement against social conformity. It was an expression of Lucian Freud's views on the idea of individuality and the power of the individual. It was also a way to challenge the status quo and encourage people to be who they are. Freud, known for painting what he saw, was able to show a different side to Bowery, a vulnerable side that is not shown to the public. Apart from challenging the avant-garde, Freud's art also challenged society's views on beauty and gay people, since before the painting was made gay people were stigmatized as "carriers" of AIDS. Freud revealed a depth and humanity side to Bowery that was often overlooked due to his flamboyant and outlandish personality. By capturing the vulnerability of Bowery, Freud forces us and society to confront the different layers that make up Bowery's character.  

MLA Citation

“Leigh Bowery - National Portrait Gallery.” Person - National Portrait Gallery, www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp67216/leigh-bowery. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

“School of London.’ National Galleries Scotland, www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/glossary-terms/school-london#:.... Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Laux, Cameron. “Lucian Freud and Sue Tilley: The Story of an Unlikely Muse.” BBC News, BBC, 24 Feb. 2022, www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180514-lucian-freud-and-big-sue-the-story-....

Starkey, Arun. “The Taboo-Busting Legacy of Leigh Bowery.” Far Out Magazine, 28 Oct. 2021, faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-legacy-of-leigh-bowery/.