There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’d like to come and meet us
But he thinks he’d blow our minds
As I sit here in utter distrust, being forced to accept a world where David Bowie no longer lives and breathes, I find solace in my firm belief that he was never firmly planted here on Earth. He is otherworldly, and thus, immortal. He was tethered to us by a web of stardust, capturing our admiration. All we could do was stare. And now, we must finally blink.
Although it is nearly impossible to pin down a description of the ever-evolving shapeshifter, a few words are brazenly synonymous with Bowie. Androgynous. Misfit. Alien. He was often described as a chameleon, but rather than change to adapt and blend into his surroundings, he metamorphosed to stand out. He welcomed the danger. In all of those transformations, he transformed us. We were now a new progressive generation of humans who turned to face the strange. We found the uncomfortable beauty in the odd and unusual.
Whether they were musical, or theatrical, David Bowie’s performances were mesmerizing, peculiar, and dazzling. He was the original glam rock god. He ushered in outlandish fashion. He gave us a glittering extraterrestrial, and also an appreciation for the avant-garde, and androgyny. He commingled everything bizarre so eloquently. It had a profound impact on pop culture. We wanted to emulate him, and step outside of our own perceived box. Heck, we didn’t even want to acknowledge the box! We were now able to visualize the impossible, and romanticize and popularize the fusion of modern science fiction and fantasy. The ridiculous and lowbrow was now in vogue.
David Bowie’s cosmic ascendancy on our lives will continue to effect future generations. I suppose I should be thankful that I resided here on the same planet during the same time as him, but it still aches me to the core that I will never see a new prolific invention transpire before my eyes. All of that is now up to us individually. I believe that in some small or great way, we are all misfits bouncing our way among the stars. Bowie taught us that we are constantly evolving, and that our differences should be emphasized. The cord has now been cut, and our starman has been liberated from the confinement of physical limitations. Your stardust will never settle, Mr. Bowie. It will envelop us in its gentle glow, calling for creative honesty, courage and innovation from every last one of us; and I hope we have the strength to open our eyes.
In honor of David Bowie and his enduring legacy, TeeFury will donate $2 to War Child for every sale of “Ground Control” by CappO
The artist’s influence certainly reached visual creatives who pay homage to the prolific man. See a sample of works by TeeFury artists and more below
Helen Green‘s incredible animation shows the many faces of the legendary artist.
Artist Butcher Billy has an assortment of works that feature his iconic characters mixed with pop-culture.
Artist duo Kolabs (Barret Biggers & J.P. Perez) create a fitting stellar tribute.