BOLD, BEAUTIFUL AND DAMNED: A Retrospective of 80s Fashion Illustrations from Tony Viramontes

November 14-December 21, 2013
Tuesday-Saturday
10 am-5 pm
Admission: Free to the public

A visionary ahead of his time, Tony Viramontes was a fashion illustrator who captured the pulse of the 80s like no other. Although he died prematurely of AIDS at the age of 31 in 1988, he left behind a vast treasure trove that included fashion portraits, album covers, and mixed media. BOLD, BEAUTIFUL AND DAMNED, an intimate installation in the FIDM Museum foyer, showcases original fashion illustrations by Viramontes. Reflecting the high-octane club scene of the 80s, the art of Vira (as his friends called him) pulsated with New Wave energy. He was inspired by particular people, and he imbued their portraits with real personality. Model Janice Dickenson remembers, “He drew people…not models as coat hangers.”

Valentino loved him, as did Gaultier and Hanae Mori. He worked with some of the most celebrated names in fashion: Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Versace, Givenchy, Halston, Karl Lagerfeld, Emmanuel Ungaro, Perry Ellis, Pierre Cardin, Issey Miyake, and Claude Montana. He drew Paloma Picasso, Isabella Rossellini, Rene Russo, Naomi Campbell, and he created sensational album covers for Janet Jackson and Arcadia.

BOLD, BEAUTIFUL AND DAMNED will be on view at the FIDM Museum from November 14-December 21, 2013. The installation is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am-5 pm. The FIDM Museum is located at 919 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90015.