JUST ONE CALORIE: TABBOO!
By Hattie Hathaway
“The only Art is Painting,” pronounces Stephen Tashjian, also known by his drag persona TABBOO! (T-A-Double B- Double O, OOH!)
When one sees his two dimensional work, one really understands why he might make such a declamation. Delivered in broad expressionist strokes, most frequently a riot of color, with a hint of Egon Schiele’s laser-sharp eye, his portraiture also delivers a firm nod to Stan Lee’s illustrations, and the caricaturists Max Beerbohm and Al Hirschfeld.
His typeface, much mimicked, often blatantly stolen, remind one of the wacky marijuana-laced era of 1960s Laugh-In and Batman. They of course graced album covers in the 1990s by Deee-lite and Book Of Love.
And then there are his still lifes, flowers and landscapes: simple, vibrant and dead-on…
And he paints and draws constantly. Prolifically, perhaps obsessively.
Stephen first came to New York in 1982, originally hailing from the Boston area where he went to a community college art school. Often lumped together with “The Boston School,” a term he decries, calling it a construct of art scholars only.. Nan Goldin, David Armstrong,Jack Pierson, Pat Hearn and Gale Thacker came from much more “prestigious” schools indeed. However, Boston being what it is— basically a small town— they all were friendly and interacted, moving to New York at roughly the same time in the early Eighties.
Within days of Stephen’s arrival in New York in 1982, he met Pyramid hostess Ann Craig (who was performing a poetry recital with Jean-Michel Basquiat on drums) booked him for one of her Café Iguana shows. It was the legendary Wendy Wild who shared the bill that night with him who insisted that he adopt a “stage name.” And so, Tabboo!— and a major performance career—was born.
It was Stephen’s self-designed flier for that show that convinced that convinced Bobby Bradley, Tanya Ransom, and myself that he should design and execute all of our club’s advertising. And Tabboo!’s images began appearing in all of the publications we advertised in. And Wigstock posters. And stage sets.
And yet the stage shows went on… Some of my own fondest memories include his performances of the self-penned songs “Armenia” and ‘It’s Only Natural.”
As well as his star-stacked show entitled ‘Gilligan’s Island” which concluded with Stephen dressed as Tina Louise crooning, ”And I am Ginger in a glittering gown…” Electrifying.
And then there is Marc Jacobs…
When the photographer David Armstrong passed away, the woman (a higher up at European Vogue) who inherited his estate, happened to Instagram a painting of Stephen’s in the collection, which fascinated Marc. From there a line of couture, pret-a-porter and even a makeup line. And fashion history was made.
Although Stephen Tashjian will only say. “I am a painter.” And of course he is right.
