Howard Tangye

Howard Tangye (b.1948, Australia) has been an influential force in fashion for decades. Lecturing at London’s Central Saint Martins for 35 years, including 16 years as head of BA Womenswear. There, he tutored many contemporary greats, including John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Christopher Kane, Wes Gordon, Zac Posen and Hussein Chalayan.

Throughout his teaching career Tangye quietly developed a particularly idiosyncratic art practice. By employing a decisive line with bold applications of richly layered materials, Tangye explores the nuances of the human form in an effort to expose his subjects’ true essence and energy.

Through these hyper-vigilant life studies what becomes apparent is an articulation of how the process of drawing offers a freedom to examine emotion in a way other mediums are unable. Tangye’s twisted line finds similarities with Egon Schiele, but what separates Tangye’s work is an intriguing, shy romanticism. Tangye himself states that, ‘[drawing is] a bit like falling in love, however unrequited.’

Examples of Tangye’s portraiture are held in many important collections, both public and private, including the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), Harvard University and London’s National Portrait Gallery.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM ROGERS FOR WATER JOURNAL