Boy George on why his latest art collection demands a reaction (EXCLUSIVE)
The musician discusses the inspiration behind Punky Doodle Dandies, his creative process, and the messages he hopes to send through his visual art
By Callum Wells
Boy George will unveil two new hand-signed, limited-edition artworks today (24 October) at Castle Fine Art, the UK’s leading group of retail galleries.
In an exclusive interview with Attitude, the musician discusses the inspiration behind his latest collection, Punky Doodle Dandies, his creative process, and the messages he hopes to send through his visual art.
The mixed-media works offer an intimate glimpse into the singer’s life of self-invention and unapologetic style, currently celebrated by The Design Museum’s exhibition Blitz: The Club That Shaped The 80s.
“It’s so interesting, if you’re not careful, people can shut you down so quickly now” – Boy George on public reaction to his artwork
Featuring 195 hand-signed pieces, they mark a deeper, more personal dive into themes of duality and identity following last year’s Fame.
At its heart are two contrasting, punk-inspired figures – Free Me Now, a smiling portrait, and Desperate to Come Out, a frowning counterpart – rendered in acrylic with jagged silhouettes, vivid contrasts, glitter accents, exaggerated lashes and button eyes. The first 95 sets will also include a Collector’s Portfolio, featuring original poems that explore self-expression and courage.
For George, the goal of his art has always been to elicit a strong response, a strategy he continues to embrace. He reveals that he even uses backlash to his recent painting, Don’t Ban The Burqa, as creative inspiration.
“I want a reaction. I mean, I’ve always wanted a reaction,” he admits. “There was such a reaction from people, I couldn’t believe it. I did it and I thought, ‘It’s so beautiful.’ It’s so interesting, if you’re not careful, people can shut you down so quickly now. But having an opinion is a wonderful currency for me.”
“They represent contradiction, armour, performance, punk protest… all of it” – George on Free Me Now and Desperate to Come Out
The two figures in Punky Doodle Dandies serve as a form of “armour” against the world. He links this directly to his own background and the Culture Club ethos.
“They represent contradiction, armour, performance, punk protest… all of it,” he explains. “I grew up in the 70s in southeast London. We had the National Front building down the road. I used to get handed leaflets from them and I’d be like, ‘Are you fucking crazy?'”
He notes that this embrace of difference was central to his band’s philosophy: “I’ve always been about inclusion. Culture Club was multiracial, with different types of sexual identities. It was about this new feeling. I was at my first gay march outside Lewisham Odeon in the 70s.”
George believes his sexuality is an ever-present force in his life and work, and he encourages visibility rather than retreat.
“You always know when you’re dressed up, particularly now, that things can turn on a dime” – George on wearing drag in the 21st century
“Even when I’m dressed conservatively, my queerness permeates everything about me,” he says. “Some people can hide what they are. That can be a prison. I’ve always said, ‘Turn out to be gay, be fabulous.’ Nothing to be scared of. You can’t teach it. You’ve got to show people. I always go back to Elizabeth Taylor when she said, ‘There is no gay agenda. There’s no agenda. We’re just crossing the road, trying to get from A to B.’”
For George, creation is a refuge, a feeling that originated in his youth. He reflects on his early years, “standing out” in a classroom of 30 children due to his big personality. “For me, art was really the only place where I was able to be self-indulgent and free,” he says. “Painting is still an escape. It’s where I see the truth – simple, unfiltered, honest.”
He contrasts the hostile environment of the internet with the positive reality of face-to-face interaction, but remains cautious: “There are two lives – the life online, which is kind of scary, and the life in the world, which isn’t like that. People are not horrible. I go out and people come up and chat. I’m not hostile. But you always know when you’re dressed up, particularly now, that things can turn on a dime.”
George draws his artistic ideas directly from his imagination, which he views as a boundless source of truth and creativity.
“That’s why art is so important. It’s unfiltered freedom” – George on the importance of creativity
“Everything comes from my imagination. We all live in our imagination,” he says. “Art is the only area of who we are that isn’t squashed. At school, it is. You do it in art class, but your imagination is often suppressed. That’s why art is so important. It’s unfiltered freedom.”
The chosen medium for the collection is acrylic paint, which suits his aesthetic and pace. “I’m acrylic all the way. There’s a kind of fastness… very punk. It dries quickly, you don’t have to wait around for it.”
The playful title, Punky Doodle Dandies, is meant to evoke nostalgia and George hopes it comes paired with music for admirers. “It feels like when I was growing up, I used to have all those Busby Berkeley movies, you know, punky. It just feels like Punky Doodle. Actually, just this morning, I was like, ‘I’ve gotta write a song called Punky Doodle Dandies.’ I feel like, with a lot of what I do, there are songs – and if there isn’t one that I’ve written, I’ll suggest a song.”
Castle Fine Art, which has worked with the likes of Johnny Depp, Bob Dylan and Steve Winterburn, specialises in original fine art, hand-signed limited editions and sculptures. Punky Doodle Dandies is available exclusively at Castle Fine Art from 24th October.