In London as  the Tate Modern gets ablaze in the colorful world of its new ANDY WARHOL Exhibit across the river at the Tate Britain they are about to open the doors on a totally different show.  ‘AUBREY BEARDSLEY 1872–1898’  is the work of very eccentric English illustrator and author who hung around with leading aesthetes and homosexuals like Oscar Wilde

Beardsley’ drawings in black ink emphasized the grotesque, the decadent, and the erotic. He also made a significant contribution to the development of the Art Nouveau and poster styles during his brief career before his early death from tuberculosis. 

Whilst Beardsley kept his private life very private (!) in pubic he was very much a dandy . He was meticulous about his attire: dove-grey suits, hats, ties, yellow gloves and would appear at his publisher’s in a morning coat and court shoes.

To celebrate the opening of the new Show, Tate Curator Stephen Calloway and drag performer Holly James Johnston sat down to tea to discuss the ‘dos and don’ts’ of dandyism according to artist Beardsley.  Evidently ‘velvet is ALWAYS the answer’. 

Aubrey Beardsley
4 Mar – 25 May 2020

https://www.tate.org.uk/