Saying Hello to the Lunatic Men: A Critical Reading of ‘Love is Lost’

Pierrot the clown is a recurring figure in David Bowie’s oeuvre. In this article we examine Bowie’s use of Pierrot in his self-directed homemade video for the single release of ‘Love is Lost’ (2013). The article demonstrates how an understanding of Pierrot (and all he represents), as well as Bowie’s engagement with avant-garde Jewish composers and artists, is vital to interpreting ‘Love is Lost’. We provide a reading of Bowie’s use of Pierrot as an avatar for everyman, for creativity and for the struggles over identities.