Glam! The performance of Style

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Roanna Price

Liverpool is never short of diverting exhibitions, pop up shops or festivals to keep the culturally minded entertained. A large part of the cities creative scene is down to the presence of the Liverpool Tate.

From the 8^th February to the 12^th May the Liverpool Tate proves its worth again by opening the ‘Glam! The Performance of Style’ exhibition, this exhibition could not have been better placed than in a city full of fashion devotees.

“Combining historical and thematic elements, Glam! The Performance of Style will offer a refreshing new perspective on 1970s art and visual culture, underlining its continuing influence on the contemporary imagination.”

‘Glam! The performance of Style’ marks the first comprehensive look at the Glam era of the early 70’s. Between 1971-1975 the Glam culture was embraced and identity and gender definitions were shook up and played around with once again. The exhibition, through presenting a nostalgic look at the early 70’s provides an in depth look at artistic movements of the time across Europe and North America.

 

The exhibition includes over 100 pieces by artists including Richard Hamilton, Sigmar Polke and Cindy Sherman. For the first time the 1970s are redefined as the integration of fine art ideals into popular culture are exposed. The root of this exhibition is in popular culture and so it starts with a look at the music, art and fashion which culminated in the British art-school world of the 60’s which then led to the key 70’s Glam era. Works from artists such as David Hockney are used to narrate this colourful journey.

“The coming together of art and life will  be explored through performative ideas of dandyism and the ‘ironic pose’.”

The mixing and mingling of fashion, art and music is a timeless story and this exhibition successfully narrates just one era of creative collaboration between the three.

The exhibitions runs from 8^th February to 12^th May and costs £8 (concession £6). The exhibition will also tour to the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt and Lentos Kuntsmusem Linz.