It seems like Chicago's museums are all over the news this week: the Art Institute was voted Best Museum in the world on Tripadvisor and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is hosting its largest and most expensive show in its 47-year history: the $2 Million, 400 pieces Bowie exhibition, opening on Tuesday Sept 23rd. We had the honor to attend the press preview yesterday.
I am not 100% sure, but I think I was the only member of the Belgian press at MCA yesterday morning. I never made it to the opening at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London (march 2013), but well: I moved to Chicago just in time to be able to see it here.
After London Bowie Is has traveled to Toronto, Sao Paolo and Berlin. But Chicago is the only US city included on the exhibition. After Chicago the show will travel to Paris, Melbourne and the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands.
David Bowie: I wouldn't call myself a die hard fan, but I have always loved the phenomenon and appreciated a lot of what Bowie the all round artist, role model and pioneer has achieved. As this exhibition* contains a selection of 400 pieces (out of the 75000 in Bowie's archive!), it is impossible to talk about them all. Besides the impressive, immersive sound & vision aspect and the costumes (check the Alexander McQueen Union Jack coat from 'Earthling') there were some really interesting things I discovered here.
For example: the Verbasizer, a machine that cuts up sentences and was used by Bowie to write some of his lyrics. Interesting!
After London Bowie Is has traveled to Toronto, Sao Paolo and Berlin. But Chicago is the only US city included on the exhibition. After Chicago the show will travel to Paris, Melbourne and the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands.
David Bowie: I wouldn't call myself a die hard fan, but I have always loved the phenomenon and appreciated a lot of what Bowie the all round artist, role model and pioneer has achieved. As this exhibition* contains a selection of 400 pieces (out of the 75000 in Bowie's archive!), it is impossible to talk about them all. Besides the impressive, immersive sound & vision aspect and the costumes (check the Alexander McQueen Union Jack coat from 'Earthling') there were some really interesting things I discovered here.
For example: the Verbasizer, a machine that cuts up sentences and was used by Bowie to write some of his lyrics. Interesting!
The estimated time you will spend at the show is 90 minutes, but bare in mind that it might be more, especially if you wish to check out the shop as well .... We spent only $40 on all kinds of useless gadgets ... but you could spend a whole lot more if you want...
'David Bowie Is': Sept 23rd - Jan 4th at MCA - www.mcachicago.org/bowie
Reservations are strongly recommended - tickets cost $25 and include general admission to the museum
(photography: Leentje De Leeuw)
*fyi: both Michael Darling, chief curator at MCA and Geoffrey Marsh, Director of the Department of Theatre and Performance at V&A refuse to call this a retrospective, they prefer 'show' and I tend to agree with them.
No comments:
Post a Comment