Arty Appetite — David Bowie Centre at the V&A

It’s quickly obvious the David Bowie Centre is trying for something different from your usual retrospective. Upon entry, visitors are immediately bookended by study spaces: to the left, a large glass-walled room in which to view one of around twenty thousand objects from the collection, to the right, a smaller area to study any of the seventy thousand papers to the music legend’s name (both by pre-booked appointment only). Reinvention and rebranding are at the heart of Bowie’s legacy and V&A East Storehouse’s ‘Order an Object’ initiative — but the emphasis on one-to-one bookings leaves the exhibition feeling a little more clinical than might be expected for one of history’s greatest showmen.

Walking through this entrance hall, a collection of projects inspired or produced by Bowie — from Black Star and Heroes to Chappell Roan and Issey Miyake — set up an interactive timeline in ‘The Library of Connections’, charting the musician’s expansive impact on culture. There’s little textual curation; small labels announce each items’ connection to Bowie, so newer fans might struggle to pick up on the narrative thread as easily as seasoned supporters. 

This continues into the main exhibition space, where a selection of two hundred objects have been selected for both permanent and rotating display across nine glass cases. It’s not a small task, fitting the history of Bowie’s five ‘characters’ into the archive of one man. While only two hundred objects are currently on display, costumes hang from the ceiling, storage boxes cover almost two walls, and drawers hold the rest of the archive. Much of the collection was curated by Bowie via scrawled post-it notes and context summaries passed on to his team. But despite the years of preparation, pre-dating the V&A’s acquisition of the archive, the curation is sparse, clinical even. 

Instead of Bowie the showman, we’re given a glimpse at Bowie the craftsman. Scratchy letters and comedic notes jotted alongside outlandish costume designs capture something of the Byrne behind Bowie, even where the vividness of his stage presence is missing. The glass cases expose metal caging, mimicking the archive boxes on display. It’s a functional space as well as an exhibit, but this practicality leaches some of the livelines visitors might expect. This is most obvious in the floor-to-ceiling film that charts Bowie’s performances in chronological order — it’s a beautiful way to see his stage presence evolve, but the quiet soundtrack feels reminiscent of staying up past your bedtime to watch MTV, rather than the carefree rock-and-roll Bowie stood for. 

Beyond this, there’s a lot of joy to be found in the collection. Devoted fans will surely jump at the chance to see these pieces in person, from his collection of hand-carved platform shoes to the iconic costume worn for his SNL role in 1979. One of the most touching areas of the main exhibit space is the trio of temporary displays. These celebrate the influence of Jungle and Drum & Bass music on Bowie’s work, bass player Gail Ann Dorsey and the artist’s influence on indie rock band The Last Dinner Party, as well as long-time collaborator Nile Rodgers. 

It’s this emphasis on collaboration that holds the archive together. From Bowie’s input to the voices of those that knew and loved him, to those who have found meaning in the work he left behind, it’s a touching reminder of David Bowie’s inimitable impact on modern culture. For an artist so full of life, the archive of his work may at times feel a little empty with such a large collection to pull from, but those carefully selected items on display are sure to delight artists, fans and scholars alike.

The David Bowie Centre at V&A East Storehouse is open from 13 September. Book your free ticket here.