London. This tall Sunny morning at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry as Daniel Lismore progresses through the light-flooded entrance hall in his pink creation, the tall artist does so with a certain grace. With a dress resembling a traditional dress, he wants to draw attention to the situation of women in Syria, the artist later explains.
But first, he spoke in a gentle voice, in a few words to the guests who had come that day, that he was in his hometown P Yourself, Every Ols Is All Duke In Is Alltown See. Lizmore says the show is “a reflection of my life, the things I saw and experienced,” the clothes he wore. “Because I live as a work of art.” Elsewhere, after stations in Australia and the United States, this is his first exhibition in Great Britain for an artist now living in London. But who is this designer who has impressed so many?
What to see in the exhibition
If you pass his exhibition with Lismore as the highlight of the year before the British TV broadcaster BBC opens, you will soon understand that the 37 – year – old is creating Britain and art. This is because the show shows pictures of him with scanned and plastic-plated, mannequin-like stylized, often closed eyes with black and bright red gas. 50 life-size “sculptures”, describing them, featuring fascinating and challenging works from recent years. Sometimes the hot couture worn by Lizmore is a colorful burst of gold chains and pearls, other times the fancy dress is adorned with fishing nets, floccum and feathers.
In addition, in a separate room, the show features never-before-seen memories from the artist’s personal archive: photos with Boy George or Pamela Anderson, shared with fashion magazines and books, pictures and doodles Lizmore has read over the past few years. Friends who drank alcohol one night. That room smelled of one of his perfumes. You can find a sign on the bookshelf. It says “be yourself”.
Who is Daniel Lismore?
When asked about the purpose of the exhibition, the artist took up the motto in an interview with Germany’s editorial network (RND): “I want to encourage people to be themselves” – certainly without harming anyone. He stressed that if he could do it with only one person, he would have already achieved a lot. It is no coincidence that this is a major concern for him. Because Lizmore, he once told the fashion newspaper, was particularly bullied in his childhood and youth. It was so bad when he went to school, he said at the time. So he spent most of his time painting and making objects out of clay. “I think it had a huge impact on my work.”
Since then, clothing has always been a way for the 37-year-old to arm himself for the outside world. His strange civilization allowed him to be “he many”. This strategy eventually became a profession: Lizmore went from model to designer and traveled the world. As the creative director of the luxury label Sorapol, he wore stars like Mariah Carey, Naomi Campbell and Boy George. Now his designs can also be admired in his hometown of Coventry, a sign that he has reconciled with his difficult times as a young man.
Artist with many messages
But another aspect of the artist makes him special. His clothes also carry political messages. The exhibition shows the luxurious black and red dresses that activist and whistleblower Julian Assange wore during the protests. The WikiLeaks founder has threatened to be extradited to the United States, where he is accused of leaking secrets. “Julian is a good friend of mine and I want to make it clear that press freedom is at stake in this matter,” Lizmore said.
But other topics are also important to the artist, such as environment and sustainability. She recently went to Instagram with her latest design: blue, loose dress. It reads: “Our government has not done enough to help the Ukrainian military and local people. Write to your MPs and make noise. If you are Russian, take to the streets. ”For Lismore, being shown these days means not only showing yourself as you are, but also accepting responsibility.
Visit the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry until June 26, 2022 to see the exhibition “Be yourself, everyone is already taken”. Tickets can be booked on the museum’s website. Admission is free.
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