The David Bowie Centre opens in London – and here’s a sneak peek at what’s inside
A must for all fans of the late rock star.
Mark
The city of London has a new pilgrimage site for all fans of the late rock star, David Bowie.
The singer and actor died in 2016 at the age of 69. He’d kept his illness private. His death, just after the release of his final album, Blackstar, stunned the world.
Bowie had a huge following, particularly among LGBTQ+ music lovers. Many were turned on to him by his glam rock alter-ego, Ziggy Stardust, in the early 1970s. He was fiercely androgynous and openly bisexual.
He left behind not only a vast musical legacy but also an archive of materials: costumes, sketches, notebooks, items that inspired him, and unfinished work.
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That’s all been donated to London’s V&A museum, which has opened the David Bowie Centre at its V&A East Storehouse at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The archive boasts a staggering 90,000+ items. The storehouse will host rotating displays of around 200 of these. However, other material can be seen if appointments are made in advance.
To view the public displays is free. However, you must book a ticket in advance. The institute is releasing batches of tickets in slots. If you are heading to London soon, make sure to keep an eye on booking opportunities.
Madonna visits the David Bowie Centre
One person who has already viewed a sample of the collection is Madonna. The first concert she ever attended was David Bowie at the Cobo Arena in Detroit on June 23, 1974. It blew her mind and inevitably fueled her own dreams of music stardom.
Madonna posted photos to her Instagram stories last week of visiting the storehouse. Staff located the clothes Bowie wore at his actual Detroit show in 1974 for Madonna to view.
“The tour was called ‘Diamond Dogs’,” she wrote on Instagram. I recently went to the V&A in London, where his archives are kept. They brought out the very costume he wore on stage when I first saw him perform. It was such a life-changing experience. I almost started crying.”
Swipe the images below.
Ava Cherry and Robin Clark during Young
Americans album recording session.
Photo by Corinne Schwab.
“Bowie’s impact continues to reverberate”
Among the vast items on display are Bowie’s 1992 Thierry Mugler wedding suit, a Ziggy-era guitar, his first-ever instrument (a saxophone his father bought him in the early 1960s), and notes for a project he was working on up to his death: a musical called The Spectator set in 18th-century London.
Dr Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, said in a press statement: “One of the greatest performers, musicians, artists and innovators of all time, David Bowie’s impact continues to reverberate nearly a decade after his death – while his influence on design and visual culture and his inspiration on creatives today is unmatched. We are thrilled to care for Bowie’s incredible archive, revealing new insights into his creativity and legacy, and open it up for everyone at V&A East Storehouse.”
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