David Bowie’s coming to Berlin! David Bowie’s coming to Berlin! Well, maybe not completely. Whilst we’re all waiting with baited breath for a David Bowie world tour following the success of his 2013 come-back album The Next Day, the jury is still out on whether or not this will happen. In the mean time, his smash-hit retrospective is making what could be considered a homecoming by exhibiting at the Martin-Gropius-Baus in Berlin from the 20th May.

The Thin White Duke has cast quite a shadow over Berlin since his ’76-’79 jaunt in the Hauptstadt which spawned three seminal albums  (Low, Heroes and Lodger) and continued his friendship and collaboration with Iggy Pop (which also brought the world The Idiot and Lust for Life). And, due to this, Bowie continues to be a landmark on the Berlin cultural skyline.

The exhibition will celebrate David Bowie’s whole glittering career, from crooning hippy to starman, from soulman to soulless club-singing burnout, from avant-gardist to disco icon and beyond, whilst having a whole section dedicated to the David Bowie in Berlin years.

As well as detailing the history of Bowie’s ascent to global superstardom and featuring unique items and curiosities from his lengthy career, the exhibition will be a must-see for fashion fans as they get the chance to see many of his icon outfits and stage costumes.

These will include Kansai Yamamoto’s designs for the Aladdin Sane tour (1973), which culminated in Ziggy’s infamous farewell show; the Ziggy Stardust jumpsuit designed by Freddie Burretti in 1972; and the Union Jacket designed by David Bowie himself in collaboration with British master Alexander McQueen for the cover of David’s 1997 album Earthling.

The exhibition will also show photographs from the likes of Brian Duffy, known for his fashion and portrait photography, who had a 10-year working relationship with Bowie, and Masayoshi Sukita, also known for his very long and successful partnership with the star. Plus, personal objects and clips from films and concerts will also be displayed, bringing a deeper insight into David Bowie’s creative process.

Overall, the exhibition promises a complete immersion into David Bowie’s career and how he influenced so many other artistic movements, and an insight into the man behind the ever-changing façade.

A must-see for music and art fans alike. I’d say ‘a must-see for Bowie fans’ but… who doesn’t like David Bowie? Seriously…? …And these people get to vote?

20. MAI – 10. AUGUST MARTIN-GROPIUS-BAU

WWW.DAVIDBOWIE-BERLIN.DE

Exhibition venue

Martin-Gropius-Bau Niederkirchnerstraße 7 10963 Berlin www.gropiusbau.de

Opening hours

10.00 – 20.00 daily
No closing day
Cash desk closes at 19.15

Tickets

Adults: 14,00 € Reduced Rate: 10,00 €

Free admission for children and teenagers up to he age of 16

Online-Tickets

The online-ticket, available at www.davidbowie-berlin.de, grants you direct access to the Martin-Gropius-Bau: no need to queue at the cash desk. Each online ticket bought is valid for a 15-minutes time slot within which you will be admitted to the exhibition.

Ticket service

www.davidbowie-berlin.de ticket@davidbowie-berlin.de

Veranstalter

Kuratiert vom Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Post written in collaboration with Andrew Cottrill