Oct 28 2013 – Toronto marks the first North American stop on the international tour of David Bowie Is, an immersive multi-media show that takes you on tour through 5 decades of the life and career of glam rocker David Bowie. Organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London, England, the exhibition offers Bowie fans a unique glimpse into the life one of the world’s most influential musical performers. It features more than 300 items from Bowie’s own private collection including post-modernist paintings, sketches, musical scores, handwritten notes and lyrics, album designs, instruments, film excerpts, music videos, and costumes.
Held at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) the exhibition spans two floors, and presents a broad range of Bowie’s memorabilia from his collaborations with artists and designers. Price of admission includes an audio guide headset by Sennheiser, which takes the show to a whole new level, bringing together sound and vision as you pass from room to room. Watching exhibit-goers you can clearly see them enjoying the sensory experience, moving to the beat and taking in every moment.
Bowie is estimated to have sold more than 140 million albums. More than a musician, he was an innovator, constantly reinventing himself. Never being satisfied with the status quo, Bowie took music to an entirely new level, manifested using theatrics, his androgynous appearance, and, and song-writing ability.
The David Bowie is exhibition is currently on international tour. These are the confirmed tour dates following its spectacular opening at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum:
- Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, 25 September – 27 November 2013
- Museum of Image and Sound, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 28 January – 21 April 2014
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, September 2014 – January 2015
- Philharmonie de Paris/ Cité de la Musique, Paris, 2 March – 31 May 2015
- Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands, 15 December 2015 – 15 March 2016
Verdict: 5 out of 5. Visiting this exhibition is a trip down memory lane for fans of all ages. The exhibit will delight your senses, and give you a greater appreciation of this talented musical chameleon. Even if you are new to Bowie, you can’t not help but enjoy the show and appreciate the significant influence he has had on the music industry.
T-Mak World Tip: This show gets busy! Purchase your tickets in advance and plan to attend during the week 10 am to 4 pm. You will need a minimum of 2 1/2 hours to properly see the exhibit; plan to stay the day to take in the rest of what the AGO has to offer. This museum is one of Toronto’s special gems.
