Amy : Beyond the Stage

Fascinating exhibition at the Design Museum looking at the career of the singer Amy Winehouse.

The show looked at the influences for her music and style describing it as an “innovative, post-modern mix of references”. It opened with a room on her childhood with wonderful family photos and early recordings of her auditioning. This was followed by a room set up like a recording studio looking at her musical influences and charting the progress of her first album.

I was most interested in the sections on her style from her early purchasing in Camden market to getting a stylist at the time of the second album. I loved the way she maintained her iconic look although you could see it becoming more designer orientated. The last room was like a catwalk of her looks often accompanied by photographs of her wearing them.

The show ended with a video installation using the soundtrack of her singing with images based on the styling of her concert sets. A joyful end to a show which could have ended sadly.

The show mentioned Amy’s problems but did not dwelling on them and made the narrative about her work and style. They did however provide phone numbers and web references for anyone who felt they might have similar problems.

Closes 10 April 2022

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