The Australian Centre for the Moving Image as part of Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presents

Transcription

1 Under strict embargo until 11.00am on Wednesday 13 August, 2014 The Australian Centre for the Moving Image as part of Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presents David Bowie is A once-in-a-lifetime exhibition charting the genius and legacy of an iconic artist and innovator 16 July 2015 to 1 November 2015 acmi.net.au/bowie absolutely incredible...fabulous Jean Paul Gaultier a simple, ringing endorsement of pure stardom The Independent (UK) a beautifully immersive, innovative show The Huffington Post The sheer grandeur brought tears to my eyes The Daily Telegraph Opening in July 2015, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), will present exclusively in Australasia as part of Melbourne Winter Masterpieces, David Bowie is - the acclaimed exhibition celebrating the extraordinary career of one of the most pioneering and influential artists and performers of the modern era. David Bowie is was created by the prestigious Victoria and (V&A) in London drawing upon unprecedented access to the David Bowie Archive of costumes, objects, album artwork, and memorabilia. The exhibition includes lyric sheets, hundreds of photographs, stage sets, rare videos, filmed live shows, over 50 costumes and interviews with key collaborators. Special displays within the exhibition explore Bowie s influences as musician, stage performer, writer and actor and his continuing legacy. At its world premiere in London in March 2013, it was the V&A s fastest selling exhibition and became one of its most popular shows, drawing over 311,000 visitors and widespread critical acclaim. ACMI Director & CEO, Tony Sweeney, said the landmark exhibition showcases Bowie as a true innovator in music, fashion and culture, and traces his changing style and reinvention. The mystery of David Bowie as an enigma is so lovingly explored in this incredible immersive exhibition you ll feel as if you ve stepped inside the mind of this astonishing cultural and pop icon, Tony said. Bowie is a figure whose social and creative influence and significance far exceeds his status as a pre-eminent rock performer and in David Bowie is, his incredible career is showcased in glorious detail. The V&A s curators, Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh, from the Museum s Department of Theatre and Performance, selected more than 300 objects and films for the show. Of the exhibition they said: The exhibition looks in-depth at how Bowie s music and radical individualism has both influenced and been influenced by wider movements in art, design, film and contemporary popular culture over an incredible 50-year career and demonstrates how Bowie has inspired others to challenge convention and pursue freedom of expression. Bowie s first major hit Space Oddity (1969) and the introduction of his first fictionalised stage persona Major Tom, inspired by Stanley Kubrick s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, granted him critical and commercial success as an established solo artist. His cinematic influences abound with his elaborate storyboards and set design for the Diamond Dogs tour (1974) - originally envisioned as a musical - inspired by Fritz Lang s film Metropolis (1927), leading him to take the combination of rock music and theatre to new heights....over

2 Excerpts and props from Bowie s own work in feature films such as Labyrinth (1986) and Basquiat (1996) are displayed in the exhibition, as do many of his ambitious and ground-breaking music videos. The year 1972 marked the birth of his most famous creation; Ziggy Stardust, a daringly androgynous and otherworldly being. A pivotal performance of Starman on Top of the Pops in a multi-coloured suit signalled a challenge of social conventions, daring fans to shape their own identities. Bowie s collaborations with artists and designers in the fields of fashion, sound, graphics, theatre, art and film are explored throughout the exhibition. On display are more than 50 stage costumes including Ziggy Stardust bodysuits (1972) designed by Freddie Burretti, Kansai Yamamoto s flamboyant creations for the Aladdin Sane tour (1973) and the Union Jack coat designed by Bowie and Alexander McQueen for the Earthling album cover (1997). Bowie s fruitful experimental period in Berlin between 1977 and 1979 is also explored through a series of pioneering records he produced known as the Berlin Trilogy, including the creation of the stylish Thin White Duke persona identified with the Station to Station album and tour (1976). More personal items such as never-before-seen storyboards, handwritten set lists and lyrics are also featured in the exhibition as well as some of Bowie s own sketches, musical scores and diary entries, revealing the evolution of his creative ideas. ACMI is the exclusive Australasian venue for David Bowie is. The ACMI season will include a specially curated program of talks and special events, late night programs, film screenings and live performances. David Bowie is will open at ACMI on 16 July 2015 as part of the Victorian Government s prestigious Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series. Tickets go on sale to the general public in November To register for exclusive pre-sale ticket opportunities, visit: acmi.net.au/bowie About the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI): A globally unique cultural institution, ACMI presents and champions the art and culture of the moving image. Through a vibrant annual calendar of award-winning exhibitions, screenings, film festivals, live events, creative workshops, education programs and Collection resources, ACMI provides a wide diversity of audiences with an unsurpassed range of ways to engage with the moving image. As one of Victoria s major cultural, tourism and learning attractions, and a national centre of screen culture debate and innovation, ACMI has an international reputation as one of the world s leading moving image centres. About the Victoria and : The V&A is the world s leading museum of art and design with collections unrivalled in their scope and diversity. It was established to make works of art available to all and to inspire British designers and manufacturers. Today, the V&A s collections, which span over 2000 years of human creativity in virtually every medium and from many parts of the world, continue to intrigue, inspire and inform. More: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Exhibition organised by the Victoria and, London Sound experience by Sennheiser David Bowie Archive: Costumes, materials and objects courtesy of the David Bowie Archive, with thanks to Archivist Sandy Hirshkowitz. David Bowie is Education programs, proudly supported by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation.

3 The Australian Centre for the Moving Image as part of Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presents David Bowie is 16 July 2015 to 1 November 2015 Exhibition Highlights Archive 2012 Image V&A Images David Bowie in The Kon-rads, photograph by Roy Ainsworth (1963) David or Davie Jones, as he was then, became heavily involved in London s burgeoning music scene at a young age. Before leaving school at the age of 16, he had already joined the band The Kon-rads, playing saxophone and singing vocals. Demonstrating the experimental energy that has driven his solo career, Bowie spent the 1960s trying out different musical, artistic and sartorial styles and performing with several different bands. In 1965 he changed his stage name to David Bowie. The exhibition features several objects from Bowie s early career including sketches of set, costume and poster designs created for his first bands and footage of early performances. The David Bowie Archive, Image V&A Images Ziggy Stardust jumpsuit designed by Freddie Burretti (1972) On 6 July 1972 David Bowie performed Starman, the first single from his album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, on BBC One s Top of the Pops. This pivotal performance was crucial in making Bowie a music star and is acclaimed as a watershed moment which changed rock music and youth culture forever. Appearing on national television with flame-orange hair, make-up, multi-coloured clothing and red patent boots, Ziggy s otherworldly look and sexual ambiguity created a seismic shift in pop culture. The exhibition features the original suit and boots created by Freddie Burretti and designed in collaboration with Bowie, who took inspiration from the costumes worn by the droogs street gang in Stanley Kubrick s film adaptation of A Clockwork Orange (1971).

4 Duffy Archive The David Bowie Archive Image V&A Sukita / The David Bowie Archive 2012 Images Brian Duffy photograph of David Bowie for the Aladdin Sane album cover (1973) Influenced by contemporary performance art and theatrical traditions, David Bowie was drawn to create dramatic, fictionalised stage personas. His sixth studio album marked the birth of the schizophrenic character Aladdin Sane who was a development of the space-age Japanese-influenced Ziggy Stardust. To create the compelling album cover image, Bowie collaborated with photographer Brian Duffy, Celia Philo and make-up artist Pierre Laroche. The result was one of the most recognisable images in popular culture; a lightning flash design which has been reproduced in multiple forms worldwide and referenced by celebrities including Lady Gaga and Kate Moss. On display is Brian Duffy s contact sheet from the Aladdin Sane album cover shoot. Cut up lyrics by David Bowie for Blackout from Heroes (1977) David Bowie is active in every stage of his artistic output from songwriting, recording and producing to designing costumes, stage sets and album artwork. As part of the creative process he often adapts techniques from other creative practices and artists. Examples include the cut up method of writing introduced to him by William Burroughs and the Oblique Strategies cards developed by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt, which were used on occasion to inspire new ideas and approaches during recording sessions. Featured in the exhibition are handwritten lyrics for songs including Fame (1975), Heroes (1977) and Ashes to Ashes (1980), recording notes and Bowie s personal instruments. Kansai Yamamoto striped bodysuit for the Aladdin Sane tour and photograph by Masayoshi Sukita (1973) Bowie first saw the work of Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto at the exhibition Kansai in London in He could not afford the original designs so copied the look instead, recruiting friends such as Natasha Korniloff and Freddie Burretti to create cheaper versions of Yamamoto s signature bodysuits and platform boots. After the success of Ziggy Stardust, Bowie approached Yamamoto and commissioned a set of even more flamboyant stage costumes for the Aladdin Sane tour in These outfits, inspired by the style of Japanese samurai and kabuki actors, are outrageous, sculptural and eye-catching. The exhibition features several Kansai Yamamoto costumes including the black and white striped bodysuit and a white cloak with Japanese kanji lettering spelling out David Bowie. A flamboyant suit from Yamamoto s 1971 exhibition which he gifted to the V&A at the time is also on display.

5 Photograph by Terry O'Neill. Image V&A Images Terry O Neill photograph of David Bowie in promotional shoot for Diamond Dogs (1974) Over the past 50 years Bowie has collaborated with numerous internationally acclaimed photographers to capture the style and energy of his music and stage performances. The exhibition features the original contact sheets for the Diamond Dogs promotional shoot taken by Terry O Neill. The contact sheets depict a seated Bowie relaxed in a Spanish Cordoba hat, unperturbed by the enormous, rearing dog to his right and reveal the piece of meat towards which the dog was leaping. Also on display is striking performance and fashion photography taken by photographers including Brian Duffy, Frank Ockenfels, Herb Ritts and John Rowlands. The David Bowie Archive, 2012 Image V&A Images Set model for Diamond Dogs tour, designed by Jules Fisher and Mark Ravitz (1974) Released in 1974, David Bowie s album Diamond Dogs marked the end of his Glam Rock period and heralded a radical shift in style. It was promoted by a US tour directed and choreographed by Bowie and Toni Basil, with a set created by designers Jules Fisher, Mark Ravitz and set engineer Chris Langhart. The stage set and album evoked a dystopian urban underworld, informed in part by Bowie s reading of George Orwell s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) and William Burroughs The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead (1971). It was one of the most lavish rock shows ever created and a pioneering development in rock theatre. The exhibition showcases the stage set model, alongside the Diamond Dogs album sleeve painting by Guy Peellaert, touring costumes, previously unseen footage from the tour and storyboards by Bowie for a proposed musical eventually transformed into the album and stage show. Archive Film stills STUDIOCANAL Films Ltd. Image V&A Images Photo collage of manipulated film stills from The Man Who Fell to Earth, directed by Nicolas Roeg, featuring David Bowie ( ) As well as achieving international success as a musician and performer, David Bowie has had an extensive acting career. As a young man Bowie studied avant-garde mime under the tutorship of mime-artist and choreographer Lindsay Kemp. In 1976 Bowie starred in his first feature-film The Man Who Fell to Earth directed by Nicolas Roeg. Bowie s charisma and air of other-worldliness were ideally suited to the role of an extraterrestrial, Thomas Jerome Newton, who becomes stranded on Earth. Roeg cast him after watching the Bowie documentary Cracked Actor (1974), reputedly waiting eight hours to talk over the project with Bowie who had forgotten the appointment. The cover artwork of Bowie s next two albums Station to Station and Low both incorporate stills from The Man Who Fell to Earth showing Bowie in character.

6 Duffy Archive The David Bowie Archive Image V&A Images Natasha Korniloff Pierrot costume designed for the Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) album cover shoot and the Ashes to Ashes music video, photograph by Brian Duffy (1980) One of Bowie s long time collaborators is the costumier Natasha Korniloff who created a number of outfits for Ziggy Stardust shows including the Rainbow Theatre concerts (1972) and The 1980 Floor Show (1973). Korniloff also designed the Pierrot costume featured on the album cover for Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980) and worn by Bowie in the pioneering Ashes to Ashes music video, co-directed with David Mallet. The exhibition includes the original silver Pierrot costume and storyboards hand-drawn by Bowie for the Ashes to Ashes music video. David Bowie self-portrait in pose also adopted for the Heroes album cover (1978) In the late 1970s Bowie left the pressures of stardom in L.A. behind and moved to Berlin, together with Iggy Pop, in search of new inspiration and a life of relative anonymity. There he started work on the pioneering series of albums known as the Berlin Trilogy. Low (1977), Heroes (1977) and Lodger (1979) were recorded in collaboration with Brian Eno and Tony Visconti, and are among Bowie s most experimental albums introducing electronic music, improvisation and a new range of sonic effects into his repertoire. The exhibition looks at influences such as Dadaism, German Expressionism and cabaret on Bowie s work during his Berlin years and features hand-written notes, sketches and paintings produced during this period. Alexander McQueen Union Jack coat designed in collaboration with David Bowie for the Earthling album cover, photograph by Frank W Ockenfels 3 (1997) David Bowie s style has had a significant impact on fashion worldwide and throughout his career he has shown a unique ability to anticipate future trends. He has worked with many fashion designers including Alexander McQueen, Hedi Slimane, Giorgio Armani, Thierry Mugler, Issey Miyake and Kansai Yamamoto. The exhibition features the original Alexander McQueen Union Jack coat worn on the Earthling album cover (1997) and designed in collaboration with Bowie. This coat combines elements of classic British design, represented by the Union Jack and expert tailoring learnt by McQueen on Saville Row, with an iconoclastic and subversive punk aesthetic. Frank W Ockenfels 3 Source: written material courtesy the Victoria and, London

7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Exhibition organised by the Victoria and, London Sound experience by Sennheiser David Bowie Archive: Costumes, materials and objects courtesy of the David Bowie Archive, with thanks to Archivist Sandy Hirshkowitz.

8 The Australian Centre for the Moving Image as part of Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presents David Bowie is A once-in-a-lifetime exhibition charting the genius and legacy of an iconic artist and innovator 16 July 2015 to 1 November 2015 acmi.net.au/bowie Exhibition Overview The exhibition offers insight into Bowie s early years and his first steps towards musical success. Tracing the creative aspirations of the young David Robert Jones (born 1947 in Brixton, London), it shows how he was inspired by innovations in art, theatre, music, technology and youth culture in Britain in the aftermath of the Second World War. Pursuing a professional career in music and acting, he officially adopted the stage name David Bowie in 1965 and went through a series of self-styled changes from Mod to mime artist and folk singer to R&B musician in anticipation of the shifting nature of his later career. On display are early photographs and Bowie s sketches for stage sets and costumes created for his bands The Kon-rads and The Delta Lemons in the 1960s. This opening section concludes with a focus on Bowie s first major hit Space Oddity (1969) and the introduction of the fictional character Major Tom, who would be revisited by Bowie in both Ashes to Ashes (1980) and Hallo Spaceboy (1995). Inspired by Stanley Kubrick s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, the single was released to coincide with the first moon landing and was Bowie s breakthrough moment, granting him critical and commercial success as an established solo artist. The exhibition moves on to examine Bowie s creative processes from song writing, recording and producing to his collaborations on the design of costumes, stage sets and album artwork. Showing how Bowie works within both established art forms and new artistic movements, this section reveals the scope of his inspirations and cultural references from Surrealism, Brechtian theatre and avant-garde mime to West End musicals, German Expressionism and Japanese Kabuki performance. This section traces the influence of these movements on Bowie s own work, including the evolution of the lavishly produced Diamond Dogs tour (1974), the design of which was inspired by Fritz Lang s film Metropolis (1927) and George Orwell s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949). The tour combined exuberant choreography and a colossal set design, taking the combination of rock music and theatre to new heights. On display are previously unseen storyboards for the proposed musical that Bowie would eventually transform into the Diamond Dogs album and touring show. In addition, this section chronicles Bowie s innovative approach to creating albums and touring shows around fictionalised stage personas and narratives marked the birth of his most famous creation; Ziggy Stardust, a human manifestation of an alien being. Ziggy s daringly androgynous and otherworldly appearance has had a powerful and continuous influence on pop culture, signalling a challenge of social conventions and inspiring people to shape their own identities. On display is the original multi-coloured suit worn for the pivotal performance of Starman on Top of the Pops in July 1972, as well as outfits designed for stage characters Aladdin Sane and The Thin White Duke. Costumes from The 1980 Floor Show (1973), album cover sleeves for The Man Who Sold the World (1970) and Hunky Dory (1971), alongside fan material, highlight Bowie s fluid stylistic transformations and his impact on social mobility and gay liberation....over

9 Excerpts from Bowie s on-screen performances in films including Labyrinth (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Basquiat (1996) and The Prestige (2006) show how Bowie has continually explored different notions of character and drawn together the numerous cultural influences that feed into his work. Footage and photography of recording sessions for Outside (1995) and Hours (1999) as well as handwritten lyrics and word collages inspired by William Burroughs cut up method of writing that have never previously been publicly displayed, show Bowie s working processes from writing to recording. This expansive retrospective also celebrates David Bowie as a pioneering performer concentrating on key performances throughout his career. An interactive audio-visual display presents some of Bowie s most ambitious music videos including DJ (1979) and The Hearts Filthy Lesson (1995), and immersive, large-scale projections show recently uncovered footage of Bowie performing Jean Genie on Top of the Pops in 1973 and excerpts from D.A. Pennebaker s film Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: The Motion Picture (1973). An area has been dedicated to the monochrome theatricality of Bowie s Berlin period and the creation of the stylish Thin White Duke persona identified with the Station to Station album and tour (1976). It also investigates the series of experimental and pioneering records he produced between 1977 and 1979 whilst living in Germany, known as the Berlin Trilogy. Finally, David Bowie is features a display of striking performance and fashion photography taken by photographers including Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts and John Rowlands. These professional portraits are juxtaposed with a collage of visual projections illustrating Bowie s immense creative influence and ubiquitous presence in music, fashion and contemporary visual and virtual culture. ENDS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Exhibition organised by the Victoria and, London Sound experience by Sennheiser David Bowie Archive: Costumes, materials and objects courtesy of the David Bowie Archive, with thanks to Archivist Sandy Hirshkowitz.

10 The Australian Centre for the Moving Image as part of Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presents David Bowie is A once-in-a-lifetime exhibition charting the genius and legacy of an iconic artist and innovator 16 July 2015 to 1 November 2015 acmi.net.au/bowie Biographies - Key Personnel Geoffrey Marsh Director, Department of Theatre and Performance, Victoria and, London Geoffrey Marsh is the Director of the V&A s Department of Theatre and Performance. Past V&A exhibitions he has co-curated include Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes (2010) and The Story of the Supremes (2008). Previously, he ran the London office of AEA Consulting and was Director of Development at the Imperial War Museum which included the project team for the new IWM North in Manchester. Geoffrey has often worked as a consultant for the planning of cultural developments including projects in Australia, Canada, Italy, Belgium and Iraq. Victoria Broackes Curator, Department of Theatre and Performance, Victoria and, London Victoria Broackes is a curator in the Department of Theatre and Performance, Head of Performance Exhibitions and Head of the London Design Festival at the V&A. She has produced several V&A exhibitions relating to music, popular culture and design including The House of Annie Lennox (2011), Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes (2010) and Top of the Pops (2009), she also co-curated The Story of the Supremes (2008) and Kylie Minogue: The Exhibition (2007). Geoffrey and Victoria are co-editors and contributors to the book associated with the exhibition. David Bowie is is the first book to be authorised by and permitted full access to the David Bowie Archive. Emma McRae Curator, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Melbourne Emma McRae is Curator at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Emma has over ten years experience working with media arts and cross-art form organisations as a curator and project manager. Previous ACMI exhibitions Emma has cocurated include Candice Breitz: The Character (2013), Star Voyager: Exploring Space on Screen (2012), Game Masters (2012), and Hollywood Remix (2009). Emma has overseen the ACMI presentation of touring exhibitions including Dennis Hopper and the New Hollywood (2010), Dreams Come True: The Art of Disney's Classic Fairy Tales (2011), and the upcoming Australian presentation of David Bowie is (2015).

11 David Bowie is For more information and images, please contact: Claire Butler, Communications Adviser, Australian Centre for the Moving Image Phone: , PLEASE CREDIT: WORK, COURTESY, COPYRIGHT, as per below text MEDIA IMAGES No. IMAGE Work Credit Courtesy and Copyright Specs of largest available (TIFF format) 1 Striped bodysuit for the Aladdin Sane tour, Design by Kansai Yamamoto. Photograph by Masayoshi Sukita, Sukita / The David Bowie Archive 32 MB 2794 x 3907 pixels 2 Publicity photograph for The Kon rads, Photograph by Roy Ainsworth. 61 MB 2718 x 3885 pixels 3 Photo collage by David Bowie of manipulated film stills from The Man Who Fell to Earth, Film stills by David James. Archive, Film stills STUDIOCANAL Films Ltd., Image Victoria and 152 MB 4448 x 6152 pixels 4 Album cover shoot for Aladdin Sane, Photograph by Brian Duffy. Photo Duffy Duffy Archive & The David Bowie Archive. 118 MB 6344 x 6360 pixels 5 David Bowie during the filming of the 'Ashes to Ashes' video, Photograph by Brian Duffy. Photo Duffy Duffy Archive & The David Bowie Archive. 53 MB 4278 x 4278 pixels

12 6 Cut up lyrics for 'Blackout' from "Heroes", MB 5234 x 6583 pixels 7 Stage set model for the Diamond Dogs tour Designed by Jules Fisher and Mark Ravitz. 146 MB 8176 x 6132 pixels 8 Original lyrics for 'Ziggy Stardust,' by David Bowie, MB 4623 x 6175 pixels 9 Original photography for the Earthling album cover, Photograph by Frank W Ockenfels 3, Frank W Ockenfels 3 49 MB 2818 x 3904 pixels 10 David Bowie with William Burroughs, February 1974.Photograph by Terry O'Neill with colour by David Bowie 56 MB 3115 x 3141 pixels 11 David Bowie, Photograph by Masayoshi Sukita Sukita / The David Bowie Archive 25 MB 2480 x 3553 pixels 12 Print after a self portrait by David Bowie, MB 4740 x 5928 pixels

13 13 Promotional photograph of Photograph by Terry O'Neill, David Bowie for 'Diamond Dogs,' Image Victoria and Albert Museum 52 MB 3800 x 4696 pixels 14 Acoustic guitar from the 'Space Oddity' era, MB 6149 x 8227 pixels 15 Ice blue suit, Designed by Freddie Burretti for the 'Life on Mars?' video 65 MB 4080 x 5440 pixels 16 Asymmetric knitted bodysuit, Designed by Kansai Yamamoto for the Aladdin Sane tour 65 MB 4080 x 5440 pixels 17 Red platform boots for the 1973 'Aladdin Sane' tour 63 MB 4080 x 5273 pixels 18 Quilted two piece suit, Designed by Freddie Burretti for the Ziggy Stardust tour 65 MB 4080 x 5440 pixels 19 Metallic bodysuit, 1973 Designed by Kansai Yamamoto for the Aladdin Sane tour. 23 MB 4080 x 544 pixels

14 20 Original storyboards by David Bowie for the 'Ashes to Ashes' video, MB 4098 x 5922 pixels