THIS IS LONDON SEPTEMBER EDITION 2025 copy - Flipbook - Page 28
interactive installation, ‘The Library of
Connections’, traces the wide-spread
impact of Bowie on popular culture from
the sit-com Friends to Issey Miyake
fashion and musicians from Lady Gaga,
Charli XCX, Janelle Monae, and
Kendrick Lamar.
Dr Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A,
said: ‘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, in
dialogue with the V&A’s collection
spanning 5,000 years of art, design, and
performance.’
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Aladdin Sane Contact Sheet © Duffy Archive & © The David Bowie Archive TM
V&A EAST STOREHOUSE’S DAVID
BOWIE CENTRE OPENS
In September, V&A East Storehouse
opened its doors to the world-first David
Bowie Centre on East Bank in Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park. A new
permanent home for David Bowie’s
archive – made available to the public in
entirety for the first time – the Centre is
first and foremost a working archive and
collections store with reading areas and
a study room. Access to visit the David
Bowie Centre is free and ticketed.
The David Bowie Centre is brought to
life with a series of nine rotating mini
displays featuring approximately 200
highlights exploring different themes
and elements of the archive from Bowie’s
creative process and personas to his
many collaborators and influences
spanning Little Richard to Jungle and
Drum & Bass. The central space
includes a dedicated area for exploring
the archive further, where visitors who
have booked a ticket to see the displays,
can explore topic boxes housing curated
selections of reproductions of archival
material.
Overhead hang twenty of Bowie’s
iconic fashion and costumes in their
special storage bags, from Freddie
Burretti’s Ziggy Stardust looks to Agnes
b’s Heathen ensembles, and Bowie’s
1992 Thierry Mugler wedding suit. A
new film created showcases
performances and music videos
spanning Bowie’s career and an
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Aladdin Sane jacket. Designed by
Freddie Burretti for David Bowie, 1973.
Overview of the David Bowie Centre.
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