David Bowie IS - PART 1

January 8, 2014                                            As promised for Carol in Anglesey, Wales


Happy 66th Birthday David Bowie!


What better day than to finally kick off my review and stories about the amazing David Bowie exhibit I experienced in Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario. It's been a while in the works due to other obligations outside of blogging ( as further posts will attest to ) but I've finally had a chance to sit down and go through the 21 pages of hand written notes I took, assorted diagrams, details and photos.  However, photos are limited, borrowed or linked to,  due to the fact that cameras were not allowed inside the exhibit.

The exhibit entitled " David Bowie Is " was on loan from the Victoria and Albert Museum, fondly referred to as The V & A,  in London, England.  The exhibit in the UK was a smash hit and sold out - over 500,000 people attended.  It was in fact so popular,  they decided to create a BBC TV documentary covering it,  due to the thousands of people expressing disappointment at not being able to secure tickets.

 I was on a wait list for three months to get first dibs on tickets.The tickets were timed admission and we were to be there for 12:30 pm.

The exhibit housed more than 300 objects ( including 50 stage costumes), photographs, hand written lyrics and set lists, film, music videos, set designs, instruments, album artwork and Bowie's own sketches and diary entries. The Bowie Archives itself houses some 75,000 objects and the V & A were given unprecedented access to it.
The co-curator at the V & A, Victoria Broackes, explained that the idea behind the exhibit was to " result in a multi-sensory collision of art, music and pop culture" and in that regard, they succeeded magnificently!

I'll be honest in that I was never a die hard Bowie music fan, although  I did LIKE his music and I was privy to a concert of his in the UK but I was more intrigued by the man himself, his chameleon-like persona,  his remarkable costumes and trendy off stage clothing.  Moreover, I was taken by what appeared to be his fearless expression of individuality and his flagrant openness in flouting his sexual orientation. He was a breath of fresh air , a trend setter and a fascinating phenomenon - one to be watched!

Arriving at the AGO in a timely manner, we were very impressed with the overall organization of the exhibit and the efficiency and courtesy of the staff.  There were very little wait times and no major line ups due to the advance set times of admission, the screening and processing of tickets was handled quickly and in orderly fashion. Included in the price of the tickets was an audio headset in which to follow the exhibit which proved to be a boon once we got into the thick of things.  I'm still in awe of the wonder of it all and the electronic particulars and top notch up to the minute details.

My first view of what was to be, were the very dark ominous doors leading to the first room of the exhibits.

But outside of those doors stood a mannequin wearing the fabulous " Tokyo Pop" jumpsuit -  the zig zag stitched Ziggy Stardust bodysuit by Japanese designer Kansai Yamamoto, which was created for the Aladdin Sane tour, 1973. An early indication indeed of the influence of Japonism on Bowie's stage costuming.

It was so much bulkier and heavier than I had envisioned in photographs. You could almost feel the weight of the heavy black vinyl, just looking at it.  It must have felt like being in a sauna under stage lighting. The design was based on a traditional Japanese workman's costume initially.
Bowie's comments on Yamamoto's masterpiece:
" It was everything I wanted - outrageous, provocative and unbelievably hot to wear under the lights" .
    Yamamoto described his liason with Bowie thus :
" It was David Bowie's Western aesthetic and my Eastern aesthetic crashing headlong."




We entered the first room of the exhibit which was filled with early '60's memorabilia.  Bowie's early forays into bands and most interesting conversations by Bowie himself which suddenly popped into our headsets and frankly freaked us out at first.  You just didn't expect to suddenly hear the man's voice explaining his early days.  Everything was set up electronically and the displays were interactive with your headsets, so whatever position you were in facing a display, suddenly the head set would connect, and music would kick in applicable to the display or  a very sexy Englishman would be talking in your ear!  DAVID BOWIE would be talking in your ear! It took one aback a bit at first as you did not control the headset, so you could be happily lost in thought taking in a display and suddenly a man's earthy voice would start taking over your headspace. Bowie talked about his early days and trying to be " with it". He would ride the trains and put paperback books into his suit and coat pockets to show off his esteemed reading material.  At first, he really did not have a clue about them and just thought it looked trendy and cool, but as time went on he actually came around and started to read the books, which fascinated him. He commented that " I saw myself as trendy but not as a trend. I only wanted to be the instigator of new ideas."
The reading list of Bowie's 100 must read books was on display and you can ready more about that here:

http://www.antiquiet.com/music/2013/10/david-bowie-reveals-100-must-read-books-and-plans-the-next-day-extra/

I think one of the most interesting aspects of the entire exhibition was Bowie's collaboration with other artists and designers in fashion, graphics, theatre, art and film. 
Having spent time in England, I recognized so many names that were in their infancy  and are now major players in their respective fields or who became established and have since passed on. Name in point - Alexander McQueen.  It seems the musicians, artists and designers of that time were all in the beginning stages of their careers and it was fascinating to see the interaction and friendships amongst them as they set out to establish themselves.

The famous Union Jack coat made by McQueen for the Earthling Tour of 1997 was on full display at the AGO. It combined elements of Classic British tailoring with an iconoclastic punk aesthetic. And without a doubt, Alexander McQueen was a master tailor. I could look at his workmanship for hours on end.  It is awesome to see in the flesh.







Front and rear views of the infamous Union Jack coat by Alexander McQueen.

 

 

 

Accompanying the coat on display and most endearing was a hand written note from Alexander McQueen to David Bowie which read:

" David:  Sketches are coming ASAP - sorry for the delay.  I will have you a package Wed.  Love, Lee ( and then McQueen's signature) ."

Lee was the name Alexander McQueen was known by to his friends and family.

( * Note: Alexander McQueen sadly committed suicide on February 11, 2010, a week after his beloved Mother died from cancer.  )


PART TWO - to come