David Bowie Is... exhibition
I went to the excellent David Bowie Is exhibition at the V&A yesterday and, given that Bowie is pretty unlikely to tour again, it really was the next best thing and I highly recommend it.
I got to see costumes galore from the outfits worn on the Ziggy Stardust tour to his iconic Union Jack coat on the cover of Earthling. Many of which were works of art in themselves and startling to see in the flesh, not least the amazingly intricate and beautiful Pierrot costume as seen in the Ashes To Ashes video. There was also an incredible amount of rare photos and handwritten notes, lyrics and even diary entries, as well as beautiful drawings and paintings (two of Iggy Pop, no less, painted in Berlin in the late 70s), proving what an incredible all-round artist Bowie really is. My favourite piece though was the tiny cocaine spoon Bowie used in the mid 70s: it was tucked away inbetween tourbooks and handwritten lyrics so it was easy to miss but definitely bizarre and fascinating to see. And I must admit I was also thrilled to see some props from Labyrinth, including his staff and his crystal ball - yes there was an entire room just dedicated to his film career! The whole thing was done chronologically and ended up in a huge room with a wall full of alternating costumes and screens which were playing live clips from Bowie's touring career, the most impressive moment when each one played a video of the same song but from different years creating an amazing visual and aural experience. Overall a fantastic insight into Bowie's art that has just made me love and appreciate him all the more. The pics above and below are from the excellent book that accompanies the exhibition showing some of the featured photos and costumes.
I got to see costumes galore from the outfits worn on the Ziggy Stardust tour to his iconic Union Jack coat on the cover of Earthling. Many of which were works of art in themselves and startling to see in the flesh, not least the amazingly intricate and beautiful Pierrot costume as seen in the Ashes To Ashes video. There was also an incredible amount of rare photos and handwritten notes, lyrics and even diary entries, as well as beautiful drawings and paintings (two of Iggy Pop, no less, painted in Berlin in the late 70s), proving what an incredible all-round artist Bowie really is. My favourite piece though was the tiny cocaine spoon Bowie used in the mid 70s: it was tucked away inbetween tourbooks and handwritten lyrics so it was easy to miss but definitely bizarre and fascinating to see. And I must admit I was also thrilled to see some props from Labyrinth, including his staff and his crystal ball - yes there was an entire room just dedicated to his film career! The whole thing was done chronologically and ended up in a huge room with a wall full of alternating costumes and screens which were playing live clips from Bowie's touring career, the most impressive moment when each one played a video of the same song but from different years creating an amazing visual and aural experience. Overall a fantastic insight into Bowie's art that has just made me love and appreciate him all the more. The pics above and below are from the excellent book that accompanies the exhibition showing some of the featured photos and costumes.
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| David Bowie's costume from the Ashes To Ashes video |
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