It's about creative free-reign, about the ordinary becoming extraordinary. Contestants over the years have been famous and infamous, celebrated and unknown, a parade of freaks, fops, show offs and drag queens... including Andrew's many friends and family! The climax is a tear stained coronation with Logan's dazzling Crown Jewels made of broken mirrors.
There has been 13 Alternative miss worlds so far...
1972
Andrew said...
March 25th 1972,my first 'intimate' Alternative Miss World.It was just a bit of fun really. An excuse foranother party. I held it in my first studio, a convertedjigsaw factory in Downham Road, Hackney in London. My guests were asked to come in costumes they had designed and created themselves, each was to be judged on poise and personality - like the dogs who appear at Cruft's Dog Show! And I thought I would add an additional category; 'glamour' because the costumes had to be glamorous. After finding an old half-and -half costume in a junk shop, I decided to act as both Host & Hostess, dressed in half male and half female attire. My good friends David Hockney and Robert Medley were the judges. Another friend, Jack Hazan, filmed the party and used a sequence as theparty scene in his film about David Hockney, "A Bigger Splash".One of the guests, Fran Fullenweider, fell through the catwalkof orange boxes!!!The winner was Patrick Steed as Miss Yorkshire, who shared withGarbo the desire, after a short but successful career,to seek obscurity! In July of '72, I met my partner Michael Davis.Who I am still with!!!
1973
Andrew said...
1973 - A momentous year. In March I held my first one-man show at The New Art Centre, London; 'Plants, flowers for all occasions', and I met my partner; Michael Davis.Everyone had such a good time at the first Alternative Miss World, and thought it such fun, that I was inundated with requests to hold another. Especially by those who had missed the first!So there I was, on the 13th October, organising the second Alternative Miss World. Again, in my Downham Road studio in Hackney. Only this time, so many turned up it was packed out. This second contest was; "interesting"!!!Ossie Clarke, Zandra Rhodes and David Hockney were happy to act as judges and Bill Gibb designed the female half of my outfit. The male half was a jumble sale 'original'!The contest was won by Eric Roberts, who came as 'Miss Holland Park Walk'. He was crowned on the 'Morning Glory Throne' with my earliest crown made of cardboard and UHU glue. The sceptre was made out of wire and Christmas tinsel.
1975
Andrew said...
73 to '75 were pretty busy years. In 1974 I constructed giant, 12-foot glassfibre roses, irises and lilies for Biba' Sculpture Garden on the roof of the old Derry & Toms building in Kensington High Street. I also made a major move, south of the river, to my new studio in a riverside warehouse at Butler's Wharf, London.Enough of me. March 1975 saw my third Alternative Miss World. This time, I decided to have a theme, and it was 'Wild'. It was held in my Butler's Wharf studio. The winner was Miss Crepe Suzette (Derek Jarman). The hostess part of my outfit was designed by Zandra Rhodes. Arum Lily & me. Me as Host & HostessThe judges were Kevin Whitney, Eric Roberts, David Hockney, Robert Medley, Fenella Fielding, Celia Birtwell and Gerlinda Von Regensburg.Wild was the theme and wild was the party. Molly Parkin was thrown into the miniature swimming pool by Miss Holland Park Walk.
1978
Andrew said...
1975 to 1978 saw various exhibitions including "Goldfield" in '76 at the Whitechapel Art Gallery, which was an installation of giant wheat, butterflies and mice. I was inspired by the thousands of windmills on Crete's Lasithi Plains. In addition, there was "Reflections 77 - on the theme of Mondrian, at the Patrick Seale Gallery along with the Whitechapel Open Exhibition at the Whitechapel Art Gallery. Unfortunately, it was in 1977 that Biba's Sculptured Roof Garden was destroyed by developers. I only managed to rescue one red rose, which can be seen on the wall of my museum in WalesAlso, it was in 1977 I took an unforgettable trip to Egypt. On my return I created my Egyption sculptures, which included "The Alternative Great Pyramid", which is built in the same proportions as the Great Pyramid of Gizah. Between the 14-17 October I held my "Egypt Revisited - a sound and light spectacular", in The Blue Circus Tent on Clapham Common, London. This was an hourly 24-minute performance to music by Richard Hartley. 1978 saw my fourth Alternative Miss World - Circus, which was staged in the tent on the 20th October. The Host & hostess's outfit was by Miss Mouse - Rae Spencer Cullen. My co-hosts were Divine and Molly Parkin and Duggie Fields was one of the judges. The winner was Miss Carriage, Miss Linda Carriage (Stevie Hughes). Who, at her crowning ceremony, fell off the catwalk on her donkey throne.
1981
Andrew said...
There was much fun between the 1978 and 1981 (my 5th) Alternative Miss World. In 1979, the film of the 4th AMW - Circus, produced by Richard Gayer, was premiered at the Odeon, Leicester Square and I received an injunction notice from the organisers of the other Miss World contest, who tried to stop it. This was thrown out of court by the judge, Lord Denning, who said: "nobody is likely to confuse the two events"!!! The Times said; "The Alternative Miss World (the film) is a record of the fourth contest of that title, organised by the odd sculptor Andrew Logan in 1978 and staged in a big top on Clapham Common. The contest is a colourful, kindly and democratic affair, open to contestants of any age, sex or degree of exhibitionism. This film record is equally sympathetic, a memorial to the tolerance and the delight in wilful eccentricity that were, perhaps, among the gains of Britain in the Sixties and Seventies". ( The picture to your left shows myself and Divine at the Premier)The film was subsequently shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 1980.And what else did I achieve between 1979 and '81? Fire gutted my studio in Butler's Wharf so Michael and I moved to my third studio, Glasshouse in the Sky, near Liverpool Street Station. I created 'Pegasus - Monument to Hope', Held my 5th one-man show 'The Space', decorated Zandra Rhodes' Fashion Show and took park in various exhibitions including in; London, Birmingham, Graz and Los Angeles. I also organised my 5th Alternative Miss World - Royal Imperial. Royal Imperial was held in October at The Grand Hall Olympia, London, just before the Falklands war. My co-host was Fenella Fielding with Biba, Joan Bakewell, Janet St Porter and Mrs Irene Logan (my mother) as judges. The winner was Miss Aldershot (Michael Haynes), who was accompanied onstage by a choral tribute from an entire BBC choir and The Massed Band of the Irish Guards!! The crown jewels are the nearest of my collection to the crown jewels! I put chains on the orb and sceptre so they could not be stolen, as in '78! The bird sceptre housed a bottle of champagne that was poured into the top of the crown as the holiest part of the ceremony. The Hostess's gown was designed by Zandra Rhodes and the Host's by Tom Gilby. Keith of Smile did my hair.
1985
Andrew said...
Well, there were four years between Royal Imperial and Water. You may have noticed, the Alternative Miss Worlds' are organised on a very irregular basis! I guess, when they're held, all depends on how much time I have and the years '81 to '85 were extremely busy. I took a Holography course at Goldsmith's College, which enabled me to incorporate holographs in my sculptures and jewellery. I also travelled to India, Finland, U.S.A and Australia. On the work front, in '83 I was commissioned by the Greater London Council to design a Peace Float for the Easter Parade, which contained my gigantic 'Cosmic Egg' ( below). I also produced the sculptures for my 'Goddesses' exhibition (Rajas Zandra, below right), my Galactic sculptures and designed the sets and costumes for 'The Mayfly', a ballet choreographed by Lynne Seymour. In '85, I held my first solo exhibition in the States, at the Functional Art Gallery, Los Angeles - 'Galactic Forest'. This time, I decided to hold the next four AMW's on the four elements of life; water, air, fire and earth, starting with water. It was held in the Brixton Academy, London and my co-host was Janet St Porter. Commander W Logan (my father) was one of the judges. My gown was designed by Zandra Rhodes, Keith of Smile did my hair. The show was absolutely spectacular.The winner was Miss Rosa Bosom, a robot, created by Bruce Lacey. It was the first ever beauty contest to have been won by a robot!
1986
Andrew said...
I organised my 7th Alternative Miss World, the second element of life, 'Earth', in quick succession after Water, for the October of '86. This was after holding exhibitions: 'Andrew Logan's Galactic Works' at the Limelight, New York, 'Attitudes' in Antwerp, Holland and 'Glass Sculpture' in Singapore and, I even managed a visit to Burma!We originally planned to hold the 7th AMW in Chislehurst Caves but unfortunately, there were too many technical problems and at the last minute we decided, once again, to use the Brixton Academy.The hostess's side of my outfit was designed by Zandra Rhodes and the host's by Pearl & Dean. My co-host was Muriel Gray, and David Hockney and my mother were amongst the judges.The winner was Miss National Geographic (Jenny Runacre).For the Earth crown, I placed a hologram eye in the centre. For the Orb, I used a copper ballcock!!!
1991
Andrew said...
There were five years between 'water' and 'air'. I was so very, very, busy. 1987 saw me designing the sets and costumes for Wolfi (An Allegory) based on the life of Mozart for Ballet Rambert, choreographed by Lynn Seymour and performed under The Big Top in Battersea, and I visited Burma, Moscow & Leningrad. I also bought two squash courts in Berriew, Mid Wales to convert into a museum of sculpture.In 1988 I designed the sets and costumes for Bastet for the Royal Ballet, again choreographed by Lynn Seymour with music by Michael Berkeley. This is a story set in Ancient Egypt under the aegis of the cat-goddess Bastet.I moved into my new studio in Bermondsey, designed by Michael and also called The Glasshouse (I am still there today!), took part in the Moscow May Day Parade, participated in an extravaganza of British talent and fashion in Moscow, visited North Africa and created my Pegasus II - Monument to Joy, which can now be viewed at the Monterey Glass Museum, Monterey, Mexico.Enough of me, what about 'Air', my 8th Alternative Miss World? I chose the colour silver, to represent air and the event was held on May 6th at the Business Design Centre in Islington. The winner was Burnel Penhaul as 'Miss Gale Force' and the judges included; Ned Sherrin, Sian Phillips, Lynn Seymour, Molly Parkin, David Elliott, Angela Flowers and Brian Eno. My guest presenter was the delectable, red headed actress, Rula Lenska
1995
Andrew said...
1998
Andrew said...
Some people thought it was dark and cold but I thought it was perfect for the VoidI nearly didn't have a show at all - I mean how can you do a show about nothing?But Pani Bronue was magnificent.
2004
Andrew said...
The Show was dedicated to my parents who made my Universe. And in memory of Burnel Penhaul - "The Transformer" - who won the AMW crown in 1991 as Miss Gale Force Wind.
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