1
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My day starts just like yours.

2
00:00:05,581 --> 00:00:09,445
(Laughter)

3
00:00:10,642 --> 00:00:12,610
When I wake up in the morning,

4
00:00:12,610 --> 00:00:14,966
I check my phone

5
00:00:14,966 --> 00:00:16,628
and then I have a cup of coffee.

6
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But then my day truly starts.

7
00:00:21,281 --> 00:00:26,460
It may not be like yours because
I live my life as an artwork.

8
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Picture yourself in a giant jewelry box

9
00:00:32,684 --> 00:00:35,917
with all the beautiful things
that you have ever seen in your life.

10
00:00:37,336 --> 00:00:41,186
Then imagine that your body is a canvas.

11
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And on that canvas,

12
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you have a mission to create a masterpiece

13
00:00:49,468 --> 00:00:52,095
using the contents
of your giant jewelry box.

14
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Once you've created your masterpiece,

15
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you might think, "Wow, I created that.

16
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This is who I am today."

17
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Then you would pick up your housekeys,

18
00:01:04,795 --> 00:01:06,985
walk out the door into the real world,

19
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maybe take public transport
to the center of the town ...

20
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possibly walk along the streets
or even go shopping.

21
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That's my life every day.

22
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When I walk out the door,

23
00:01:20,190 --> 00:01:21,786
these artworks are me.

24
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I am art.

25
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I have lived as art my entire adult life.

26
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Living as art is how I became myself.

27
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I was brought up in a small village
called Fillongley in England,

28
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and it was last mentioned
in the "Domesday Book,"

29
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so that's the mentality.

30
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(Laughter)

31
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I was raised by my grandparents,

32
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and they were antiques dealers.

33
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So I grew up surrounded
by history and beautiful things.

34
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I had the most amazing dress-up box.

35
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So as you can imagine,

36
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it started then.

37
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I moved to London when I was 17
to become a model.

38
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And then I went to study photography.

39
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I wasn't really happy
with myself at the time,

40
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so I was always looking for escapism.

41
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I studied the works of David LaChappelle


42
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and Steven Arnold,

43
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photographers who both curated
and created worlds

44
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that were mind-blowing to me.

45
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So I decided one day to cross over
from the superficial fashion world

46
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to the superficial art world.

47
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(Laughter)

48
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I decided to live my life
as a work of art.

49
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I spend hours, sometimes
months, making things.

50
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My go-to tool is a safety pin,

51
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like this --

52
00:02:45,220 --> 00:02:46,250
(Laughter)

53
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they're never big enough.

54
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(Laughter)

55
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And I use my fabrics time and time again,

56
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so I recycle everything that I use.

57
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When I get dressed I'm guided
by color, texture and shape.

58
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I rarely have a theme.

59
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I find beautiful objects
from all over the world

60
00:03:03,252 --> 00:03:07,064
and I curate them into 3-D
tapestries over a base layer

61
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that covers my whole body shape...

62
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because I'm not very happy with my body.

63
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(Laughs)

64
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I ask myself, "Should I take something off

65
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or should I put something on?"

66
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100 pieces maybe,

67
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and sometimes I do that.

68
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I promise you it's not
too uncomfortable --

69
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well, just a little --

70
00:03:25,357 --> 00:03:26,361
(Laughter)

71
00:03:26,361 --> 00:03:28,618
I might have a safety pin
poking in me sometimes

72
00:03:28,618 --> 00:03:30,520
when I'm having a conversation with you,

73
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so I'll kind of go off --

74
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(Laughter)

75
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It usually takes me about
20 minutes to get ready,

76
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which nobody ever believes.

77
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It's true --

78
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sometimes.

79
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So, it's my version
of a t-shirt and jeans.

80
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(Laughter)

81
00:03:50,069 --> 00:03:52,224
When I get dressed
I build like an architect.

82
00:03:52,940 --> 00:03:55,594
I carefully place things
until I feel they belong.

83
00:03:56,157 --> 00:03:58,791
Then I get a lot of my ideas
from lucid dreaming.

84
00:03:59,387 --> 00:04:01,933
I actually go to sleep
to come up with my ideas,

85
00:04:01,933 --> 00:04:04,462
and I've taught myself to wake up
to write them down.

86
00:04:06,042 --> 00:04:08,153
I wear things until they fall apart,

87
00:04:08,153 --> 00:04:10,334
and then I give them a new life.

88
00:04:10,686 --> 00:04:12,505
The gold outfit for example,

89
00:04:12,505 --> 00:04:16,475
it was the outfit that I wore
to the Houses of Parliament in London.

90
00:04:17,475 --> 00:04:20,331
It's made of armor,
sequins and broken jewelry,

91
00:04:20,331 --> 00:04:23,162
and I was the first person
to wear armor to Parliament

92
00:04:23,162 --> 00:04:25,842
since Oliver Cromwell
banned it in the 17th century.

93
00:04:27,032 --> 00:04:29,698
Things don't need
to be expensive to be beautiful.

94
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Try making outfits out of bin liners
or trash you found out on the streets.

95
00:04:35,303 --> 00:04:36,429
You never know,

96
00:04:36,429 --> 00:04:38,770
they might end up on the pages of "Vogue."

97
00:04:40,100 --> 00:04:42,444
There's over 6,000 pieces
in my collection,

98
00:04:42,444 --> 00:04:46,750
ranging from 2,000-year-old Roman rings
to ancient Buddhist artifacts.

99
00:04:47,209 --> 00:04:50,067
I believe in sharing what I do
and what I have with others,

100
00:04:50,067 --> 00:04:53,170
so I decided to create an art exhibition,

101
00:04:53,170 --> 00:04:56,098
which is currently traveling
to museums around the world.

102
00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:59,448
It contains and army of me --

103
00:04:59,448 --> 00:05:01,620
life-size sculptures
as you can see behind me,

104
00:05:01,620 --> 00:05:02,615
they're here --

105
00:05:02,615 --> 00:05:03,855
they are my life, really.

106
00:05:03,855 --> 00:05:07,254
They're 3-D tapestries
of my existence as living as art.

107
00:05:07,254 --> 00:05:09,748
They contain plastic crystals
mixed with diamonds,

108
00:05:09,748 --> 00:05:12,339
beer cans and royal silks all in one look.

109
00:05:12,639 --> 00:05:15,532
I like the fact that the viewer
can never make the assumption

110
00:05:15,532 --> 00:05:17,191
about what's real and what's fake.

111
00:05:17,734 --> 00:05:22,525
I find it important to explore and share
cultures through my works.

112
00:05:23,818 --> 00:05:26,251
I use clothing as a means to investigate

113
00:05:26,251 --> 00:05:28,707
and appreciate people
from all over the world.

114
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Sometimes people think
I'm a performer or a drag queen.

115
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I'm not.

116
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Although my life appears
to be a performance,

117
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it's not.

118
00:05:42,149 --> 00:05:43,844
It's very real.

119
00:05:44,855 --> 00:05:47,760
People respond to me as they would
any other type of artwork.

120
00:05:48,336 --> 00:05:51,100
Many people are fascinated and engaged.

121
00:05:51,584 --> 00:05:54,622
Some people walk around me,
staring, shy at first.

122
00:05:55,057 --> 00:05:59,479
Then they come up to me and they say
they love or absolutely hate what I do.

123
00:06:00,314 --> 00:06:04,058
I sometimes respond and other times
I let the art talk for itself.

124
00:06:06,187 --> 00:06:09,964
The most annoying thing in the world
is when people want to touch the artwork.

125
00:06:10,606 --> 00:06:11,916
But I understand.

126
00:06:12,982 --> 00:06:14,714
But like a lot of contemporary art,

127
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many people are dismissive.

128
00:06:16,171 --> 00:06:18,078
Some people are critical,

129
00:06:18,078 --> 00:06:19,430
others are abusive.

130
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I think it comes from
the fear of the different --

131
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the unknown.

132
00:06:24,504 --> 00:06:26,965
There are so many reactions to what I do,

133
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and I've just learnt
not to take them personally.

134
00:06:30,890 --> 00:06:33,117
I've never lived
as Daniel Lismore the person.

135
00:06:33,424 --> 00:06:35,518
I've lived as Daniel Lismore the artwork.

136
00:06:36,246 --> 00:06:39,202
And I've faced every
obstacle as an artwork.

137
00:06:40,506 --> 00:06:42,465
It can be hard ...

138
00:06:42,465 --> 00:06:46,547
especially if your wardrobe
takes up a 40-foot container,

139
00:06:46,547 --> 00:06:47,660
three storage units

140
00:06:47,660 --> 00:06:49,590
and 30 boxes from IKEA --

141
00:06:49,590 --> 00:06:51,112
(Laughter)

142
00:06:51,112 --> 00:06:55,038
and sometimes it can be
very difficult getting into cars,

143
00:06:55,038 --> 00:06:56,042
and sometimes --

144
00:06:56,042 --> 00:06:58,723
well, this morning I didn't fit
through my bathroom door,

145
00:06:58,723 --> 00:06:59,827
so that was a problem.

146
00:06:59,827 --> 00:07:02,136
(Laughter)

147
00:07:02,136 --> 00:07:04,111
What does it mean to be yourself?

148
00:07:04,432 --> 00:07:06,302
People say it all the time,

149
00:07:06,302 --> 00:07:08,015
but what does it truly mean

150
00:07:08,015 --> 00:07:09,441
and why does it matter?

151
00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:14,608
How does life change when you choose
to be unapolegetically yourself?

152
00:07:16,695 --> 00:07:20,349
I've had to face struggles
and triumphs whilst living my life as art.

153
00:07:20,689 --> 00:07:22,849
I've been put on private jets

154
00:07:22,849 --> 00:07:24,424
and flown around the world.

155
00:07:24,781 --> 00:07:26,971
My work's been displayed
in prestigious museums

156
00:07:26,971 --> 00:07:28,459
and I've had the opportunity --

157
00:07:28,459 --> 00:07:31,228
that is my grandparents by the way --

158
00:07:31,228 --> 00:07:32,941
they're the people that raised me --

159
00:07:32,941 --> 00:07:35,220
and there I am --

160
00:07:35,220 --> 00:07:39,740
(Applause)

161
00:07:40,866 --> 00:07:42,454
So I've been put on private jets,

162
00:07:42,454 --> 00:07:43,522
flown around the world

163
00:07:43,522 --> 00:07:45,898
and it's not been that easy

164
00:07:45,898 --> 00:07:48,963
because at times I've been homeless,

165
00:07:48,963 --> 00:07:50,246
I've been spat at,

166
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I've been abused --

167
00:07:51,251 --> 00:07:52,247
sometimes daily --

168
00:07:52,247 --> 00:07:54,248
bullied by entire life,

169
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rejected by countless individuals,

170
00:07:56,582 --> 00:07:58,206
and I've been stabbed.

171
00:07:58,524 --> 00:08:02,346
But what hurt the most
was being put on the "Worst Dressed" list.

172
00:08:02,605 --> 00:08:04,624
(Laughter)

173
00:08:05,935 --> 00:08:08,218
It can be hard being yourself,

174
00:08:08,218 --> 00:08:09,913
but I've found it's the best way.

175
00:08:10,063 --> 00:08:11,580
There's the "Worst Dressed."

176
00:08:11,580 --> 00:08:12,576
(Laughs)

177
00:08:13,951 --> 00:08:17,200
As the quote goes, "Everyone
else is already taken,"

178
00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,487
I've come to realize that confidence
is a concept you can choose.

179
00:08:21,190 --> 00:08:25,320
I've come to realize that authenticity
is necessary and it's powerful.

180
00:08:26,270 --> 00:08:29,308
I've tried to spend time
being like other people.

181
00:08:29,741 --> 00:08:30,981
It didn't work.

182
00:08:31,450 --> 00:08:32,716
It's a lot of hard work,

183
00:08:32,716 --> 00:08:34,041
not being yourself.

184
00:08:35,696 --> 00:08:37,610
I have a few questions for you all.

185
00:08:38,669 --> 00:08:39,696
Who are you?

186
00:08:41,146 --> 00:08:42,950
How many versions of you are there?

187
00:08:43,986 --> 00:08:47,166
And I have one final question:

188
00:08:47,166 --> 00:08:50,175
are you using them all
to your advantage?

189
00:08:51,535 --> 00:08:55,195
In reality, everyone is capable
of creating their own masterpiece.

190
00:08:55,974 --> 00:08:57,429
You should try it some time.

191
00:08:57,708 --> 00:08:58,836
It's quite fun.

192
00:08:59,515 --> 00:09:00,556
Thank you.

193
00:09:00,556 --> 00:09:03,644
(Applause and cheers)