Bowie is…
I want to take you on a journey…it is an emotional journey
of my life…and I can tell you it all via the Bowie is exhibition currently at
the VA.
The backstory to my going to see the Bowie is exhibition at
the V&A is detailed. I did not realise they would sell out online so
quickly and was devastated when I heard they had. My lovely hubby bought some last minute
evening showings but they were for the last week of the exhibition in August
and I am not known for my patience.
So under the guise of taking my 15 year old to a museum, I
travelled 50 miles to see if we could secure tickets on the day. I thought I had been clever, choosing a day
that was neither the weekend nor a school holiday, but alas there was still
easily a queue of people at least 150 in front of me. We queued for about half an hour when I
decided to ask about membership. I found
out that members get free entry to the V&A exhibitions (I knew that) but
each membership can get up to four children under 18 into it for free!) plus 10% off all the Bowie stuff I am gonna
buy – plus 10% off the coffee shop. Sold
to the lady in the Bowie t-shirt!! My
only regret was I hadn’t bought this months ago and visited it hundreds of
times already.
I did not know what to expect but we picked up our
headphones and went in.
The first thing to know is there is not a set way around.
Take time to take it all in and explore everything. Watch out for the peepholes
in the black wooden doors. Read each David Bowie is..line.
It is an art exhibition and therefore talks about how Bowie
has influenced attitudes, fashion, music and more. Bowie ’Art’ includes his
music, his costumes, the way he designs his sets for videos and tours, his
films and plays…is there no end to this man’s talent or …forget ‘or’. There is no end to this man’s talents!
The exhibits include a letter explaining why David Jones
became David Bowie. It has the hand
written music of The Laughing Gnome. It
has taken my breath away and I am transformed back to the first time I heard ‘Can’t
help thinking about me’. And this is
only the first part.It continues with more hand written lyrics including Life On Mars and Five Years. I found it really interesting to see how the lyrics had changed from what Bowie had originally put to what we know and love the song of today. For example, ‘stared at the wheels of a Cadillac' – was originally tram or train (it’s crossed out so rather hard to see). One of my favourite areas in this section was the life on mars video. I stood close and really felt I was in the Top of the Pops studio. I danced and pretended I was the only one there. Did you know that the costume for that performance was based on droogs from the film A Clockwork Orange? No? Neither did I? This exhibition is educational even for a die-hard fan who knows an awful lot about Bowie.
There are many outfits throughout the exhibition, but some
of my personal favourites are the following: Jazzin' for Blue Jean, Earthling
jacket, Life On Mars (blue suit). Thin White Duke (black and white) and of
course the iconic clown from Ashes to Ashes. I was amazed that it was all in such good
condition and had been saved all these years.
I enjoyed seeing the verbaliser which is a computer machine
that randomises sentences to make a lyric stand out in a way you may not have
thought of before.
It goes right up to modern day as well with videos such as
‘Where are we now’ and ‘The stars’. I
also enjoyed the puppet from ‘Where are we now’ as Bowie was looking right at
me and blowing me kisses and winking. Had
better not tell Iman! ;)
There is a special part of the ‘Berlin years’ looking at Low,
Lodger and Heroes. It even has his keys
to his apartment from those days!
One of my favourite parts (or do I mean another of my
favourite parts) was when I went into what I can only describe as a stadium
with Bowie singing to me. (Ok, me and a
few hundred others in the room) but it had been very cleverly created with
costumes of the videos light up behind the thin veil.
One comment that has always got to me has been ‘Not only is
it the last show of the tour, but it’s the last show we will ever do’ made me
cry. I sobbed all the way through ‘Rock n' Roll Suicide’ and when he said give
me your hands I was singing and raising my hands up to him as if he was only
singing to me.
I question how strongly the people who attended are as a fan
as I saw no one sing, no one dance, no
one excited comment, so I felt justified when after a few songs I clapped at
the end of each one. I don’t care what
other people think. I love Bowie and
wanted to express it. Bowie has been in
my life longer than both my husbands, my kids, most of my friends. To me, Bowie has been the friend I needed when
I was low and lonely as a teenager, and that bond is stronger than ever today.
This was such an emotional journey for me. At each part of Bowie’s life and change in
direction, I have grown and changed too.
Thank you Mr Bowie for being there. You were my first love. I will never forget
you.
Note: since writing this I have been again twice to enjoy
it. I saw different things each time I
went. It is where I want to be buried
when I die!!
And in case you wondered just how influential he has been in
my life, last week my mum asked me why I had never married Bowie. ‘Mum, he
never asked me!’
