It seems to me that it can be difficult to get into Art if it’s not something a person is already passionate about. They can be deterred by a number of things, like a fear of something being over their head. Museums and galleries don’t always help with that either. Exhibition themes can range anywhere from overly specific to obscure or high-minded and snobbish. My advice would be to keep an eye out for something more accessible that may tie to things outside the Art world that you’re already interested in.
And THAT leads me to the exhibit I saw this last weekend in Chicago – David Bowie Is.
Most people in the Western world have heard of David Bowie. As a musician, actor and pop culture icon, his work has touched multiple generations. Even now, just a few years shy of 70, he’s still releasing ground-breaking albums such as The Next Day, which came out last year. Because of the prolific nature of his career, this exhibit is a perfect way to ease into the artsy fartsy. Not only do you get to see a great show, you have access to other small parts of a museum’s collection. In this case, the show is at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. While the MCA is small, they have a great collection of Alexander Calder mobiles (Grand Rapids folks should appreciate that) and a number of other pieces on display that have a lot of visual interest and may broaden the horizons of even the most picky audiences.
As for the exhibit itself, this show is even more expansive than what I expected. Moving in a generally chronological order, the first few galleries are filled with family photos, personal drawings and Bowie’s earliest forays into music. The audio guide is controlled room to room by GPS so music and interviews are coordinated and personalized to what each viewer is looking at. Moving further into the exhibit, promotional photos and album covers take the place of childhood memorabilia. In addition, there is tons of lyrical documentation, interviews and music videos, and of course countless examples of stage design and costuming. Towards the end of the exhibit there are even sections dedicated to Bowie’s stage and film performances, including film clips and stills, script pages, props and posters. Peppered throughout the show are examples of Bowie’s own personal drawings and artwork. There really isn’t anything lacking here. Simply put, David Bowie Is… phenomenal.
(Featured image – Photo collage of manipulated film stills from The Man Who Fell to Earth by David Bowie. David Bowie Is runs through January 4, 2015 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.)
Art For The Everyman 