David Bowie Is as the sign poster states,”the multisensory exhibition that rocked London with its collision of music, art and fashion.”
Brian Duffy’s photo for the Aladdin Sane album cover in 1973.
This very unique exhibition was organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. The show’s sign featuring David Bowie with the lightening bolt across his face originally was a photograph taken by Brian Duffy for the Aladdin Sane album cover in 1973. Prints of this photo were being sold at the recent Art Toronto in large format size. It’s interesting to see album art being sold as fine art. Many people lament the loss of the record album for its ability to be a creative force, having caused the production of many unique artistic photographs, paintings and drawings, sometimes of enormous complexity and sometimes shocking the public like art is meant to do from time to time.
Original Album Art
The 3D video installation shows images of the earliest influences and days of David Bowie’s career as well as two of his musical instruments and the green jacket he wore first with the band “The Kon-rads”, then with added stripes he inked on, with “The Riots.” His first instrument was the saxophone and with the decline of jazz and the rise of R&B in the early sixties he taught himself guitar. The 14 minutes long video is really informative and enjoyable, animation and design done by Fifty Nine Productions.
3D video installation with Bowie’s guitar, saxophone and green jacket. Animation and design by Fifty Nine Productions.
The video wall with Bowie playing guitar in front of his head shots was a previously unseen footage of him taken during the photo shoot with Herb Ritts in December, 1989. Each panel alternated between being a still image in black and white, then turning into a colour video for a minute, then back into a black and white still. It is a very unique installation to illustrate the photo shoot with photographer Herb Ritts in which Bowie played and sang in front of large head shots of himself taken previously. The resulting images were used to promote his Sound + Vision tour.
Photo shots by Herb Ritts in December, 1989. Video wall design by Fifty Nine Productions
David Bowie, Portrait of Mishima, 1977
There are many unexpected images of the people and objects that inspired Bowie’s different stage characters. He decided to create a trend instead of being “trendy” and there are many photos of the people who were inspired by or even copied his style and looks.
Bowie outfits
There were many video installations, some of them huge and very impressive, from being 3D, with mirrors or the addition of costumes and musical instruments belonging to Bowie, the music and style icon. This show is a fan’s delight!
Mirrored video installation of “Starman”. Top of the Pops. BBC Broadcast on July 6, 1972 with Quilted two piece suit designed for the Ziggy Stardust tour and Starman by Freddie Burretti
Text and photo: Margaret Irving
*Exhibition Dates: September 25 – November 27, 2013. Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West, Toronto. Gallery hours: Tue & Thu – Sun 10 – 5:30, Wed 10 – 8:30 p.m. Extended hours for David Bowie is Friday, November 15 and 22, Monday, November 25 till 8:30. Closing Day Wednesday, November 27, 10 a.m. – midnight.