Crossing Over

If anyone is in the position to judge, it's Taylor-Wood. Over the course of the last three years, the 43-year-old British conceptual artist has made a leap few others have attempted before her (well, Julian Schnabel aside), successfully transitioning from established gallery darling to mainstream moviemaker. With encouragement from her close friend, the late Anthony Minghella, she crafted her first titillating short, Love You More, a valentine to the Buzzcocks and teenage lust, before embarking on her first feature-length project, Nowhere Boy. The much-anticipated chronicle of John Lennon's early years was released to critical acclaim in the UK and last month made its stateside debut just in time for Lennon's 70th birthday.

It's an impressive undertaking to say the least, especially for a project that initially wasn't hers to make. "I wasn't even on the short list for it," she recalls. "But I knew I had to make this film, so I kept harassing the producer. I guess technically stalking them... showing up where they would be. I had to convince them to trust a first-time filmmaker, which I suppose I was in their eyes." Serendipity intervened as the first director was conveniently lured away by a larger project, and Taylor-Wood was tasked with bringing one of the biggest musical icons to the screen. "In fact, the whole film has been a series of serendipitous moments," she adds. "I also almost pulled out at the beginning of filming, once the world of Beatles fans, Lennon fans and all of that descended on me. It was such incredible pressure and I thought, 'I just want to make a film.' I got in my car, ready to call the producers, when all of a sudden John's voice came from the radio singing 'Starting Over.' I said, 'Fine, I'll do it!'"

Of course, her Lennon link seems deeply rooted -- some may remember a portrait of Taylor-Wood with artist Henry Bond in 1993 that recreated the iconic Leibovitz image of Yoko and John shot shortly before his death. But the connection is rooted more in creative affinity than destiny: "With Lennon, I was just trying to understand what creates such an enigma, how is a creative mind created. But that's something that's been part of my investigation for over the past decade." Indeed, Taylor-Wood's Lennon shares much in common with the figures of her earlier work, and as played by the charismatic (and painfully photogenic) Aaron Johnson, he could easily be another of her famous "Crying Men," equal parts Rimbaud and aspiring Elvis. It's an unorthodox approach, but the film shines because of it, opting out of the usual biopic clichés to offer an intimate and human portrait of this larger-than-life figure. And more importantly, it's won over fans and critics alike -- including the most discerning, Yoko Ono herself, who cemented her enthusiastic support for the film by granting the soundtrack rights to Lennon's classic "Mother." Not a bad way to top off a first effort.

Then again, Taylor-Wood is no stranger to rapid success. This certainly characterized her meteoric rise in the art world in the '90s, when she, along with figures like Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst, spearheaded a brash new group of young British artists (the notorious YBA set) who became known for their aesthetic provocations as much as for their partying. A portrait of Taylor-Wood circa 1997, pants around ankles, with a T-shirt reading "Fuck, Suck, Spank, Wank" pretty much says it all. "We were quite precocious," she adds lightheartedly. "It was a mad time, going from nowhere to somewhere in such a short time. It was an unreal ride, and I remember the excitement of just drinking the mini-bar dry." Biennales and accolades accumulated in short succession, including a nomination for Britain's top art honor, the Turner Prize, followed by blue-chip notoriety (her ex-husband is powerhouse art dealer Jay Jopling), which all added up to transform Taylor-Wood into a juggernaut on the European scene.

These days Taylor-Wood has been making headlines of a different sort. Despite its strong reception, the film has been eclipsed by an unexpected turn off-screen: her budding romance with her leading man, Johnson, who was 19 when they started dating. Their relationship culminated with their whirlwind engagement and the birth of their daughter, Wylda Rae, just four months ago. Though hardly breaking news, in the UK it has spawned a media storm, complete with paparazzi stalking the couple's every move. But Taylor-Wood, even if slightly irked by it, takes it all in stride: "I've just tuned it out, and at least in the U.S., they're less interested than at home. There, I feel like we've broken the last taboo or something. It's so absurd and strangely sexist."

We can't help but agree, and we imagine Aaron is thanking his lucky stars for nabbing himself one of the coolest chicks on either side of the pond.