0:00:01.224,0:00:04.498
My day starts just like yours.

0:00:05.581,0:00:10.546
(Laughter)

0:00:10.570,0:00:12.586
When I wake up in the morning,

0:00:12.610,0:00:14.798
I check my phone,

0:00:14.822,0:00:16.484
and then I have a cup of coffee.

0:00:17.512,0:00:20.001
But then my day truly starts.

0:00:21.154,0:00:26.333
It may not be like yours,[br]because I live my life as an artwork.

0:00:28.289,0:00:32.612
Picture yourself in a giant jewelry box

0:00:32.636,0:00:35.977
with all the beautiful things[br]that you have ever seen in your life.

0:00:37.336,0:00:41.186
Then imagine that your body is a canvas.

0:00:42.568,0:00:44.311
And on that canvas,

0:00:44.335,0:00:49.397
you have a mission to create a masterpiece

0:00:49.421,0:00:52.212
using the contents[br]of your giant jewelry box.

0:00:53.757,0:00:56.766
Once you've created your masterpiece,

0:00:56.790,0:01:00.298
you might think, "Wow, I created that.

0:01:00.322,0:01:01.998
This is who I am today."

0:01:02.736,0:01:04.691
Then you would pick up your house keys,

0:01:04.715,0:01:06.961
walk out the door into the real world,

0:01:06.985,0:01:10.371
maybe take public transport[br]to the center of the town ...

0:01:11.709,0:01:14.913
Possibly walk along the streets[br]or even go shopping.

0:01:15.731,0:01:17.458
That's my life, every day.

0:01:18.686,0:01:20.079
When I walk out the door,

0:01:20.103,0:01:21.699
these artworks are me.

0:01:22.281,0:01:24.377
I am art.

0:01:26.408,0:01:29.572
I have lived as art my entire adult life.

0:01:30.324,0:01:33.015
Living as art is how I became myself.

0:01:34.401,0:01:38.491
I was brought up in a small village[br]called Fillongley, in England,

0:01:38.515,0:01:40.802
and it was last mentioned[br]in the "Domesday Book,"

0:01:40.826,0:01:42.461
so that's the mentality.

0:01:42.485,0:01:43.636
(Laughter)

0:01:43.660,0:01:45.982
I was raised by my grandparents,

0:01:46.006,0:01:47.780
and they were antiques dealers,

0:01:47.804,0:01:52.109
so I grew up surrounded[br]by history and beautiful things.

0:01:52.621,0:01:54.498
I had the most amazing dress-up box.

0:01:55.309,0:01:58.340
So as you can imagine, it started then.

0:02:01.817,0:02:04.455
I moved to London when I was 17[br]to become a model.

0:02:05.718,0:02:07.610
And then I went to study photography.

0:02:08.995,0:02:11.364
I wasn't really happy[br]with myself at the time,

0:02:11.388,0:02:13.169
so I was always looking for escapism.

0:02:13.884,0:02:16.516
I studied the works of David LaChapelle

0:02:16.540,0:02:17.826
and Steven Arnold,

0:02:17.850,0:02:21.474
photographers who both curated[br]and created worlds

0:02:21.498,0:02:23.596
that were mind-blowing to me.

0:02:24.038,0:02:29.887
So I decided one day to cross over[br]from the superficial fashion world

0:02:29.911,0:02:31.570
to the superficial art world.

0:02:31.594,0:02:32.967
(Laughter)

0:02:32.991,0:02:36.426
I decided to live my life[br]as a work of art.

0:02:38.178,0:02:41.071
I spend hours, sometimes[br]months, making things.

0:02:41.807,0:02:45.196
My go-to tool is a safety pin,[br]like this --

0:02:45.220,0:02:46.226
(Laughter)

0:02:46.250,0:02:47.478
They're never big enough.

0:02:47.502,0:02:48.609
(Laughter)

0:02:48.633,0:02:51.157
And I use my fabrics time and time again,

0:02:51.181,0:02:53.054
so I recycle everything that I use.

0:02:54.580,0:02:57.590
When I get dressed I'm guided[br]by color, texture and shape.

0:02:58.848,0:03:00.203
I rarely have a theme.

0:03:00.865,0:03:03.169
I find beautiful objects[br]from all over the world,

0:03:03.183,0:03:06.021
and I curate them into 3-D tapestries

0:03:06.045,0:03:08.705
over a base layer that covers[br]my whole body shape ...

0:03:08.729,0:03:10.670
because I'm not very happy with my body.

0:03:10.694,0:03:11.844
(Laughs)

0:03:12.177,0:03:14.177
I ask myself, "Should I take something off

0:03:14.201,0:03:16.395
or should I put something on?

0:03:16.419,0:03:17.592
100 pieces, maybe?"

0:03:17.616,0:03:19.062
And sometimes, I do that.

0:03:20.963,0:03:23.767
I promise you it's not[br]too uncomfortable --

0:03:23.791,0:03:25.333
well, just a little --

0:03:25.357,0:03:26.437
(Laughter)

0:03:26.461,0:03:28.700
I might have a safety pin[br]poking at me sometimes

0:03:28.724,0:03:30.629
when I'm having a conversation with you,

0:03:30.653,0:03:32.195
so I'll kind of go off --

0:03:32.219,0:03:33.643
(Laughter)

0:03:35.091,0:03:38.566
It usually takes me[br]about 20 minutes to get ready,

0:03:38.590,0:03:40.692
which nobody ever believes.

0:03:41.828,0:03:42.978
It's true --

0:03:43.002,0:03:44.152
sometimes.

0:03:44.942,0:03:47.677
So, it's my version[br]of a t-shirt and jeans.

0:03:47.701,0:03:49.925
(Laughter)

0:03:49.949,0:03:52.104
When I get dressed,[br]I build like an architect.

0:03:52.892,0:03:55.546
I carefully place things[br]till I feel they belong.

0:03:56.157,0:03:58.791
Then, I get a lot of my ideas[br]from lucid dreaming.

0:03:59.180,0:04:01.766
I actually go to sleep[br]to come up with my ideas,

0:04:01.790,0:04:04.319
and I've taught myself to wake up[br]to write them down.

0:04:06.002,0:04:07.995
I wear things till they fall apart,

0:04:08.019,0:04:10.200
and then, I give them a new life.

0:04:10.686,0:04:12.423
The gold outfit, for example --

0:04:12.447,0:04:16.486
it was the outfit that I wore[br]to the Houses of Parliament in London.

0:04:17.411,0:04:20.244
It's made of armor,[br]sequins and broken jewelry,

0:04:20.268,0:04:23.015
and I was the first person[br]to wear armor to Parliament

0:04:23.039,0:04:25.719
since Oliver Cromwell[br]banned it in the 17th century.

0:04:26.889,0:04:29.555
Things don't need[br]to be expensive to be beautiful.

0:04:30.335,0:04:35.120
Try making outfits out of bin liners[br]or trash you found out on the streets.

0:04:35.144,0:04:36.295
You never know,

0:04:36.319,0:04:38.660
they might end up on the pages of "Vogue."

0:04:39.932,0:04:42.156
There's over 6,000 pieces[br]in my collection,

0:04:42.180,0:04:46.486
ranging from 2,000-year-old Roman rings[br]to ancient Buddhist artifacts.

0:04:47.066,0:04:50.084
I believe in sharing what I do[br]and what I have with others,

0:04:50.108,0:04:53.046
so I decided to create an art exhibition,

0:04:53.070,0:04:55.998
which is currently traveling[br]to museums around the world.

0:04:57.080,0:04:59.305
It contains an army of me --

0:04:59.329,0:05:01.478
life-size sculptures[br]as you can see behind me,

0:05:01.502,0:05:02.653
they're here --

0:05:02.677,0:05:03.894
they are my life, really.

0:05:03.918,0:05:07.152
They're kind of like 3-D tapestries[br]of my existence as living as art.

0:05:07.176,0:05:09.652
They contain plastic crystals[br]mixed with diamonds,

0:05:09.676,0:05:12.267
beer cans and royal silks all in one look.

0:05:12.639,0:05:15.508
I like the fact that the viewer[br]can never make the assumption

0:05:15.532,0:05:17.191
about what's real and what's fake.

0:05:17.599,0:05:22.390
I find it important to explore and share[br]cultures through my works.

0:05:23.746,0:05:26.156
I use clothing as a means to investigate

0:05:26.180,0:05:28.636
and appreciate people[br]from all over the world.

0:05:29.557,0:05:34.711
Sometimes, people think[br]I'm a performer or a drag queen.

0:05:35.704,0:05:37.125
I'm not.

0:05:37.149,0:05:40.725
Although my life appears[br]to be a performance,

0:05:40.749,0:05:42.125
it's not.

0:05:42.149,0:05:43.844
It's very real.

0:05:44.791,0:05:47.832
People respond to me as they would[br]any other type of artwork.

0:05:48.272,0:05:51.164
Many people are fascinated and engaged.

0:05:51.536,0:05:54.574
Some people walk around me,[br]staring, shy at first.

0:05:55.024,0:05:59.446
Then they come up to me and they say[br]they love or absolutely hate what I do.

0:06:00.242,0:06:03.986
I sometimes respond, and other times[br]I let the art talk for itself.

0:06:06.187,0:06:09.964
The most annoying thing in the world[br]is when people want to touch the artwork.

0:06:10.550,0:06:11.860
But I understand.

0:06:12.822,0:06:14.531
But like a lot of contemporary art,

0:06:14.555,0:06:16.035
many people are dismissive.

0:06:16.059,0:06:17.966
Some people are critical,

0:06:17.990,0:06:19.342
others are abusive.

0:06:19.918,0:06:22.809
I think it comes from[br]the fear of the different --

0:06:22.833,0:06:24.170
the unknown.

0:06:24.194,0:06:26.671
There are so many reactions to what I do,

0:06:26.695,0:06:29.729
and I've just learned[br]not to take them personally.

0:06:30.803,0:06:33.336
I've never lived[br]as Daniel Lismore, the person.

0:06:33.360,0:06:35.454
I've lived as Daniel Lismore, the artwork.

0:06:36.174,0:06:38.761
And I've faced every[br]obstacle as an artwork.

0:06:40.402,0:06:42.294
It can be hard ...

0:06:42.318,0:06:46.459
especially if your wardrobe[br]takes up a 40-foot container,

0:06:46.483,0:06:49.397
three storage units[br]and 30 boxes from IKEA --

0:06:49.421,0:06:50.936
(Laughter)

0:06:50.960,0:06:54.968
and sometimes, it can be[br]very difficult, getting into cars,

0:06:54.992,0:06:56.218
and sometimes --

0:06:56.242,0:06:58.910
well, this morning I didn't fit[br]through my bathroom door,

0:06:58.934,0:07:00.177
so that was a problem.

0:07:00.201,0:07:01.848
(Laughter)

0:07:01.872,0:07:03.847
What does it mean to be yourself?

0:07:04.313,0:07:06.182
People say it all the time,

0:07:06.206,0:07:07.896
but what does it truly mean,

0:07:07.920,0:07:09.346
and why does it matter?

0:07:10.257,0:07:14.465
How does life change when you choose[br]to be unapologetically yourself?

0:07:16.560,0:07:20.466
I've had to face struggles[br]and triumphs whilst living my life as art.

0:07:20.490,0:07:22.730
I've been put on private jets

0:07:22.754,0:07:24.329
and flown around the world.

0:07:24.724,0:07:26.957
My work's been displayed[br]in prestigious museums,

0:07:26.971,0:07:28.448
and I've had the opportunity --

0:07:28.472,0:07:31.204
that is my grandparents, by the way,

0:07:31.228,0:07:32.943
they're the people that raised me,

0:07:32.967,0:07:34.323
and there I am --

0:07:34.347,0:07:35.348
(Laughs)

0:07:35.372,0:07:40.834
(Applause)

0:07:40.858,0:07:43.611
So I've been put on private jets,[br]flown around the world,

0:07:43.635,0:07:45.700
and yet, it's not been that easy

0:07:45.724,0:07:48.796
because at times, I've been homeless,

0:07:48.820,0:07:50.182
I've been spat at,

0:07:50.206,0:07:52.096
I've been abused, sometimes daily,

0:07:52.120,0:07:54.008
bullied my entire life,

0:07:54.032,0:07:56.494
rejected by countless individuals,

0:07:56.518,0:07:58.404
and I've been stabbed.

0:07:58.428,0:08:00.334
But what hurt the most

0:08:00.358,0:08:02.517
was being put on the "Worst Dressed" list.

0:08:02.541,0:08:05.751
(Laughter)

0:08:05.775,0:08:08.106
It can be hard, being yourself,

0:08:08.130,0:08:09.903
but I've found it's the best way.

0:08:09.927,0:08:11.284
There's the "Worst Dressed."

0:08:11.308,0:08:12.854
(Laughs)

0:08:13.768,0:08:16.371
As the quote goes,[br]"Everyone else is already taken."

0:08:17.128,0:08:20.415
I've come to realize that confidence[br]is a concept you can choose.

0:08:20.991,0:08:25.121
I've come to realize that authenticity[br]is necessary, and it's powerful.

0:08:26.206,0:08:29.244
I've tried to spend time[br]being like other people.

0:08:29.741,0:08:30.981
It didn't work.

0:08:31.362,0:08:33.705
It's a lot of hard work,[br]not being yourself.

0:08:35.600,0:08:37.340
I have a few questions for you all.

0:08:38.612,0:08:39.762
Who are you?

0:08:41.074,0:08:42.878
How many versions of you are there?

0:08:43.850,0:08:46.272
And I have one final question:

0:08:47.031,0:08:50.040
Are you using them all to your advantage?

0:08:51.503,0:08:55.163
In reality, everyone is capable[br]of creating their own masterpiece.

0:08:55.847,0:08:57.628
You should try it sometime.

0:08:57.652,0:08:58.802
It's quite fun.

0:08:59.453,0:09:00.604
Thank you.

0:09:00.628,0:09:05.841
(Applause and cheers)