David Bowie is... Exhibition review

DAVID BOWIE IS

Walking into the Victoria and Albert museum, passed the the John Madejski Garden, you feel a sense of elegance and class. The Italianate courtyard shines through on to the significant marble interior as you queue to enter the fastest selling showcase in V&A history. People wait eagerly, shuffling along in their groups/pairs to access the in-depth world and mind of one the world’s most influential and interesting figures within popular music and fashion. The renowned visionary has always been more than a one-dimensional artist, expressing his intellectual complexity, and freedom, shaping movements in art and design, fashion and pop culture through his creative innovation and individualism.

 ‘I am thrilled to be involved with ‘David Bowie is’, I have always strived to support genius’ – David Sennheiser, President of the V&A.

Upon entering the first passage in to the exhibition, the whispering and conversing whittled down to something near silence as you are greeted with headsets and ‘sound of vision’ booklets. ‘No photography or Sketching’ boldly written signs, encrypts the intense exclusivity of such event, that’s secrets is to be unshared to those outside the four walls – an unknown covert to those yet to enter. 

The lights have lowered; the ambience of the room is soundless as the headsets automatically play some of Bowie’s famous tracks whilst you stand to admire the first display. Centered in a haze of white light, is the star’s alter ego ‘Ziggy Stardust’ and his eminent and outrageous striped bodysuit for his Aladdin Sane tour 1973. Poised proud amongst the crowd of spectators, the Kansai Yamamoto design highlights Bowie’s embrace for Japanese culture – ‘Kabuki’, ultimately meaning ‘song, dance and art’. Yamamoto was the first Japanese designer to unveil a fashion show in London ever. Bowie attended the catwalk event and was instantaneously fascinated by his avant-garde contemporary designs. The bodysuit has you hypnotized with its metallic wave frequency being emitted like the Doppler Effect. The translucent ensemble is exactly what Bowie imagined when working with designer Yamamoto, ‘outrageous, provocative and hot to wear under the lights’ – David Bowie. 

‘That's the whole thing about Bowie, he's got these antennae, looking around. It represents not just getting into Japanese styles but wanting the most fantastical things possible’, - Geoff Marsh (co-curator of the David Bowie Is exhibition).
A handwritten letter from Bowie himself sits at the forefront of the display, shielded by a glass window like the portrait of Mona Lisa at the Louvre, Paris.  Spotlights strike the shadowy white display, revealing quotes and information, embarking on the journey into the life of Bowie.

‘All art is unstable. Its meaning is not necessarily that implied by the author. There is no authoritative voice. There are only multiple readings’ – wall quote, David Bowie.

A pyramid of oranges, inspired by Roelof Louw (Soul City), is carefully placed under trinklets of tiny spotlights, which from the Ziggy Stardust display, make it hard to work out what the display is – alluring you to take a closer look . The sense of daring that once shocked Louw’s viewers in 1967, has been reignited to contrast not only Bowie’s ideas and designs, but inspiration and passion he found from others. Walking over, the headsets sophisticated inter-linking of different tracks and audios changes. It appears only now that the headphone devices you are handed, helps guide you effortlessly through the exhibit, offering the perfect sound and three dimenional experience possible. Tightly positioned next to the pyramid of oranges, is a small TV screen reciting interviews with Roelof Louw and Bowie themselves. The advanced audio guide and sound system allows you to immerse yourself into the displays without the distraction of the surrounding onlookers, providing you with similar senses to a silent disco.  

‘David Bowie is crossing the border’. Crossing the border indeed – the mood of this room is darker. The only source of lighting is the glow from the red neon sign and various dimmed spotlights shining on the posters, album covers and photo’s hung up on the walls in black and white frames, much like a traditional British pub. A lot of the memorabilia featured, such as vinals from The Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix posters and photography by David Bailey, illustrates the sixties influence set upon Bowie. The white on black placards placed under the mememtos explains in depth the impact each artist made not only on Bowie, but also on their era.

Not far from the beer-house set up is a inaccessible door, offering observers to peer through the peep-hole to expose a hidden insight into Bowie’s impacts – portraying what goes on behind closed doors. The mystery behind the door had viewers lining up to take a glimpse, revealing an empty marble coridoor leading to a outsized statue of Buddah. This stresses Bowies muted interest into spiritulaity, his path to enlightenment and the understanding of reality, emphasing the power his beliefs had on him through-out his life and career.

‘The humanists' replacement for religion: work really hard and somehow you'll either save yourself or you'll be immortal. Of course, that's a total joke, and our progress is nothing. There may be progress in technology but there's no ethical progress whatsoever,’ – David Bowie

Among the outfits displayed, was another costume from Bowie’s ‘Ziggy Stardust’ phase. Entwined between a cave of colossal mirrors is the padded gold two-piece complete with tinges of red and blue. Designed by Freddie Burretti, the two-piece marked a turning point in Bowie's career and the seismic shift in pop culture. The suit worn for his ‘Starman’ performance during Britains ‘Top of the Pops’ TV chart show 1972 was projected onto the scene behind, as well as the outfit being reflected from all angles onto the mirrored walls, floor and ceiling, creating a puzzling illusion as though you were in a funhouse at the circus.  During the time period, the audacious outfit captivated and equally shocked viewers through its intersexual vibe which later went on to inspire others. Bowie’s determination to experimentation and devotion to detail gripped the media’s attention, bringing Bowie to the frontier of fashion in pop and performers.

 ‘I don’t know where I am going from here, but I promise you, it won’t be boring’ – David Bowie.

Ensuing forward through his journey of the sixties and seventies, commanded a room complete with Bowie’s favourite books floating from the ceiling like low-flying birds, embracing Bowie’s hunger for knowledge. Over-sized inspirational novels acted as stages to withhold some of Bowies prominent and significant costumes over his decades as a pop icon. Standing out amongst the varay of flamboyant and daring garments, was the union-jack coat created by late designer Alexander McQueen in collaboration with David Bowie for the Earthling album cover 1997. The classic Britsh design depicts both McQueens strive for seamless tailoring collided with Bowies taste for anarchy and revolutionary punk aesthetic. With its back turned towards the crowd, the mannequin appears to be facing a blown-up personalised letter signed by McQueen addressed to Bowie (David) regarding the sketches and designs of the union-jack coat. ‘David, sketches are coming ASAP – sorry for the delay. I will have you a package wed. Love (Lee).’ This helps portray the relationship and involvement Bowie had with designers when producing the outfits, accentuating Bowie’s close partnership with the people he chose to work with to get the exact look for his songs.

‘I'm pretty good with collaborative thinking. I work well with other people,’ – David Bowie

His theatrical take on costumes and his eccentric use of mime, made Bowie’s performances more art, than pop. Walking behind the foam padded recording studio complete with all of Bowies album covers to date, uncovered a room bursting with ceiling-to-floor screens featuring some of Bowies legendary and extravagant performances through-out his career.  It was here people sat back contently on the black over-sized box seats to reflect and take-in the exhibition. People relaxed to put their feet up and watch the powerful performances of a man whose ambiguous journey led him to become a world notorious icon, not only in the fields of pop culture, but in the grounds of fashion revolution.  

David Bowie is inarguably one of the modern world's highly respected and prominent style icons. His disregard for ‘mainstream’ and outcry for creative control over all his work can be seen in boundless detail though-out the entire exhibit. His inspiration and legacy left on the world of fashion and music is something the likes of Lady Gaga and Beyoncé can only dream of. Whether Bowie was a part of your life growing up, or you’re only just truly discovering him now, you can only expect to come away from the exhibition feeling inspired – and your faith in originality be restored. David Bowie is, the true original.