Stephen Tashjian
Encyclopedia
"Tabboo" redirects here, you may be looking for "taboo
".
Stephen Tashjian is an American
artist. His drag queen
character Tabboo! became known in the East Village
underground scene of New York City
in the 1980s. He is also a puppeteer, painter and singer.
Tashjian attended the Massachusetts College of Art
, in Boston
where he became friends with fellow students Nan Goldin
and Jack Pierson
. He moved to New York's East Village in 1982 to pursue a career as an artist, and became a regular performer at the Pyramid Club
, appearing next to other drag legends like Rupaul
and Lady Bunny
. Tashjian also performed several times at the annual Wigstock
drag event, and appeared in Wigstock, The Movie, released in 1994.
Tashjian has painted murals on city buildings and exhibited his paintings in many galleries internationally. Under the name Tabboo! he designed flyers, record album covers and advertising for underground venues. One of his better-known artworks is his graphic design for the successful Deee-Lite
"World Clique
" album cover. The curly lettering on the album cover became an iconic image for the band and the rave culture of the early 1990s.
The photographer Nan Goldin
included photographs http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid=25978&searchid=15383 of Tabboo! in her books and he is featured on the cover of her book The Other Side in drag.
Tashjian continues to perform in New York and shows his paintings in art shows, most notably a 2006 group show curated by Jack Pierson
at Paul Kasmin Gallery in New York, featuring dozens of camp art pieces from his private collection. The show featured works by Matthew Barney
, Nan Goldin
, David Armstrong
, Jack Pierson
, and Mark Morrisroe
.
Tashjian's work has also been documented in the New Museum’s “East Village Show” and New York University
(NYU)/Grey Art Gallery’s “Downtown Show.”
Taboo (disambiguation)
A taboo is a social prohibition or ban.Taboo may also refer to:-Music:*Taboo , member of The Black Eyed Peas*Taboo , 1989*Taboo , 1998*Taboo, 2002...
".
Stephen Tashjian is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist. His drag queen
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
character Tabboo! became known in the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
underground scene of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the 1980s. He is also a puppeteer, painter and singer.
Tashjian attended the Massachusetts College of Art
Massachusetts College of Art
Massachusetts College of Art and Design is a publicly-funded college of visual and applied art, founded in 1873. It is one of the oldest art schools, the only publicly-funded free-standing art school in the United States, and was the first art college in the United States to grant an artistic degree...
, in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
where he became friends with fellow students Nan Goldin
Nan Goldin
Nancy "Nan" Goldin is an American photographer.-Life and work:Goldin was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in the Boston, Massachusetts suburb of Lexington, to middle class Jewish parents whose ideas, moderately liberal and progressive, were put to the test when on April 12, 1965 their eldest...
and Jack Pierson
Jack Pierson
Jack Pierson is a photographer and an artist. He studied at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. Pierson has made a name for himself with a body of work that includes photographs, collages, word sculptures, installations, drawings and artists books...
. He moved to New York's East Village in 1982 to pursue a career as an artist, and became a regular performer at the Pyramid Club
Pyramid Club
__notoc__The Pyramid Club is a nightclub in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. After opening in 1979, the Pyramid helped define the East Village drag and gay scenes of the 1980s...
, appearing next to other drag legends like Rupaul
RuPaul
RuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
and Lady Bunny
Lady Bunny
The Lady Bunny is an American drag queen originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who has lived in New York since the 1980s. She is the founder of the annual Wigstock event and is well-known as a nightclub DJ, promoter and celebrity...
. Tashjian also performed several times at the annual Wigstock
Wigstock
Wigstock was an annual outdoor drag festival that began in the 1980s in New York's East Village that took place on Labor Day. Traditionally the festival would act as the unofficial end to the summer for the gay community of New York City...
drag event, and appeared in Wigstock, The Movie, released in 1994.
Tashjian has painted murals on city buildings and exhibited his paintings in many galleries internationally. Under the name Tabboo! he designed flyers, record album covers and advertising for underground venues. One of his better-known artworks is his graphic design for the successful Deee-Lite
Deee-Lite
Deee-Lite was an American house and club/dance group, formed in New York City, United States. The group's best-known single was "Groove Is in the Heart", from their 1990 debut album, World Clique. However, Deee-Lite achieved longer lasting success on the U.S...
"World Clique
World Clique
World Clique is the first and best-known album by the dance-music band Deee-Lite, which was released in 1990. The album's first single, "Groove is in the Heart", was a top-five success on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart as well as a number-one hit on the U.S. Hot Dance Club...
" album cover. The curly lettering on the album cover became an iconic image for the band and the rave culture of the early 1990s.
The photographer Nan Goldin
Nan Goldin
Nancy "Nan" Goldin is an American photographer.-Life and work:Goldin was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in the Boston, Massachusetts suburb of Lexington, to middle class Jewish parents whose ideas, moderately liberal and progressive, were put to the test when on April 12, 1965 their eldest...
included photographs http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid=25978&searchid=15383 of Tabboo! in her books and he is featured on the cover of her book The Other Side in drag.
Tashjian continues to perform in New York and shows his paintings in art shows, most notably a 2006 group show curated by Jack Pierson
Jack Pierson
Jack Pierson is a photographer and an artist. He studied at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. Pierson has made a name for himself with a body of work that includes photographs, collages, word sculptures, installations, drawings and artists books...
at Paul Kasmin Gallery in New York, featuring dozens of camp art pieces from his private collection. The show featured works by Matthew Barney
Matthew Barney
Matthew Barney is an American artist who works in sculpture, photography, drawing and film. His early works were sculptural installations combined with performance and video...
, Nan Goldin
Nan Goldin
Nancy "Nan" Goldin is an American photographer.-Life and work:Goldin was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in the Boston, Massachusetts suburb of Lexington, to middle class Jewish parents whose ideas, moderately liberal and progressive, were put to the test when on April 12, 1965 their eldest...
, David Armstrong
David Armstrong
David Armstrong may refer to:*Dave Armstrong , American Catholic apologist and author*Dave Armstrong , Canadian record producer*Dave Armstrong , New Zealand scriptwriter...
, Jack Pierson
Jack Pierson
Jack Pierson is a photographer and an artist. He studied at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. Pierson has made a name for himself with a body of work that includes photographs, collages, word sculptures, installations, drawings and artists books...
, and Mark Morrisroe
Mark Morrisroe
Mark Morrisroe was a performance artist and photographer. He is known for his performances and photographs, which were germane in the development of the punk scene in Boston in the 70's and the art world boom of the mid to late 80's in NYC...
.
Tashjian's work has also been documented in the New Museum’s “East Village Show” and New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU)/Grey Art Gallery’s “Downtown Show.”