V&A Museum unveils David Bowie retrospective

Exhibit showcasing the career of British singer David Bowie to open in London in March...

14:29 08 September 2012

The Victoria and Albert Museum will unveil the first international retrospective for David Bowie in March. The exhibit is the result of the museum being given unprecedented access to the singer’s archive. 

 

The exhibit, which will be entitled “David Bowie is”, will showcase the singer’s original costumes, set designs, handwritten lyrics, and his very own instruments.

 

More than 60 stage costumes will be part of the exhibition, and this will include the original Ziggy Stardust bodysuits the singer wore from way back in 1972. Outfits worn by Bowie’s Aladdin Sane and Thin White Duke characters will also be on display.

 

One of the items in the exhibit, however, was not worn by Bowie. Instead, he designed it in collaboration with Alexander McQueen for the Earthling album cover, which was released in 1997. The item in question is a Union Jack coat.

 

The V&A Museum describes Bowie, now 65, as a ‘musical innovator’ and a ‘cultural icon’. 

 

V&A director Martin Roth told the BBC: “David Bowie is a true icon, more relevant to popular culture now than ever.”

 

“His radical innovations across music, theatre, fashion, and style still resound today in design and visual culture, and he continues to inspire artists and designers throughout the world.”

 

This will mark the first time that a museum has been given access to the David Bowie Archive.

 

Bowie, however, released a statement saying that he is ‘not a co-curator’ of the event and ‘did not participate in any decisions relating to the exhibition’.