“Hallo Spaceboy”
The excellent online arts magazine, The Space, presents five short films made in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum, which each explore the genius of David Bowie on occasion of the first full-scale retrospective of his career, David Bowie is, at the V&A in London.
Featuring insight from the curators of the exhibition, Victoria Broackes and Geoffrey Marsh, music journalist Paul Morley as well as film-maker Alan Yentob, the films examine the many facets of David Bowie, as well as the fascination with his creative output across the past five decades.
See below for details of each and view all five films here.
Victoria BroackesExhibition Overview (3 minutes)Victoria Broackes, co-curator, gives insight into the curatorial vision behind the exhibition David Bowie is and how the V&A managed to capture the creativity and spirit of the artist through objects, archive and on-screen.Geoffrey MarshSpace Oddity (4 minutes)Space travel and moon landings in the 1960s opened up new artistic themes for Bowie and influenced an entire body of work. Space Oddity, released in 1969 went to number five in the music charts. It was Bowie’s first breakthrough. Geoffrey Marsh, co-curator of the David Bowie is exhibition, takes us on a journey through Bowie’s creative landscape.Paul MorleyDavid Bowie is (3 minutes)Music journalist Paul Morley discusses the title and theme for the exhibition, David Bowie is. Cleverly employing the present tense David Bowie is suggests the potential for his multiple artistic incarnations and their ongoing influence. Whilst the exhibition is a retrospective survey of Bowie’s work, the title suggests his talents are as relevant today as they ever were and will remain so into the future.Paul MorleyBowie in Berlin (6 minutes)David Bowie’s career-shaping years in Berlin are assessed by Paul Morley.Alan YentobCracked Actor (5 minutes)Made by film-maker Alan Yentob and first screened on the BBC in 1975, Cracked Actor follows Bowie on his Diamond Dogs tour and captures an extraordinary moment in Bowie’s life. Alan Yentob tells how the film first came about and discusses iconic scenes as well as his own favourite moments from the documentary.