Today I finally made it to the “David Bowie Is” exhibition at the V and A.
“23 March – 11 August 2013. The V&A has been given unprecedented access to the David Bowie Archive to curate the first international retrospective of the extraordinary career of David Bowie. David Bowie is features more than 300 objects that include handwritten lyrics, original costumes, fashion, photography, film, music videos, set designs and Bowie’s own instruments.”
I have always liked his films,and music, but never really been a crazy fan of anyone, it’s just not my nature. I walk away from this exhibition with a new found respect for this man. He is talented and diverse in what he does, he writes, he plays and he performs, he acts, he dresses, he reinterprets. What do we label him as? He is a singer, songwriter, musician, actor, artist, model, he is a muse to photographers, artists, fashion designers, and graphic designers. I get a sense of someone that understands the space he is in, looks at the world, and picks bits to focus on and create. He seems to embody the contemporary concept of what an “icon” is. The exhibition makes me see a man with a vibrant sense of humour, whom is very serious about what he does. I feel inspired to not stick to one thing, like I feel so many artists do, but to keep working in many different ways, why not be jack of all trades, and master of a few of them as well?
Th bit I found hard was the headset. I have never experienced this technology before, the sound systems registers where you are in the exhibition and plays the appropriate music or recording. unfortunately I really didn’t enjoy it, my issues were:
1)The sound went in and out, but i couldn’t work out why. With such a popular exhibition it was hard to get near to the work, and then the sound would come in, but then you move out the way of someone and it went again.
2)Some parts of the exhibition had their own sound and it made it very confusing to what i was listening to.
3) I don’t like having to listen to the recording and not being allowed to go round without it. I know I could just take it off, but I prefer the audience to be able to make a choice.
I love technology being challenged, but I think it has more work before it is successful.
All images from google images.
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Sophie Douglas and The Arts School 