DAVID BOWIE – A LONDON DAY

A new exhibition of photographs by Kevin Davies

The Fitzrovia Chapel is proud to announce a new exhibition of photographs title DAVID BOWIE – A LONDON DAY by Kevin Davies, capturing David Bowie over the course of a single day in 1992, which will open on 1st March and run until 20th March 2024 as part of The Fitzrovia Chapel’s Cultural Programme.

DAVID BOWIE – A LONDON DAY is curated by journalist, author, cultural historian and Bowie fan, Dylan Jones.

In late 1992, David Bowie was preparing for the release of his 18th studio album Black Tie White Noise. Photographer Kevin Davies was commissioned to photograph Bowie for a series of images which would be used to promote the album. The session took place at a studio space in Clerkenwell on Sunday 13th December 1992, with a selection of images subsequently approved by Bowie for press use, after which Davies placed the original rolls of film, contact sheets and prints in storage where they stayed for almost 30 years.

In 2020, Davies uncovered the boxes to reveal perfectly preserved film negatives of 400+ images from that single day with Bowie, the details of which had been eclipsed by the indistinguishable memory of a luminous presence. The original collection of 450 images captured a then 45-year-old David Bowie styled for Black Tie White Noise, plus a series shot late in the day when Davies asked to capture Bowie “just as you are.”

The exhibition features 20 photographs from across the day with selected images presented as diptychs and triptychs to explore a meditation on the photographic archive. This exhibition takes Bowie as its subject, but it is equally a representation of the afterlife of analogue photography. It explores the intersection of the archive and creative remembrance. The collection is built around a number of Bowie’s own selects taken from his mark-ups on Davies’ original contact sheets and reveals a timeless, almost age-less David Bowie in the prime of his life.

Kevin Davies said – “In the anxiety of COVID 19 lockdown I found comfort in retracing my career through stored away negative boxes. I finally had the opportunity to do something I had wanted to do for such a long time; rediscovering past jobs in their totality. For me, this exhibition is a chance to show the photographic process beyond a commission.”

Curator Dylan Jones said – “This is a fascinating body of work as it’s a visual narrative that takes place over the course of a single session on a single day. Not only does it show David Bowie’s extraordinary attention to detail, but it also shows Kevin Davies’ ability to shape and catalogue that narrative. I love these pictures.”

A tranquil world of art, fashion and history, The Fitzrovia Chapel has long existed as a place of calm and contemplation in Central London. The Chapel is a space where people can step out of the everyday hustle to explore and examine not only the visiting works of art, but also the beauty and detail of the Chapel itself.

Madeleine Boomgaarden, Director of The Fitzrovia Chapel said “These quietly observed and very beautiful images of Bowie sit perfectly in the calm elegance of the chapel. We’re delighted to host images of this London icon in the heart of the city he grew up in.”

DAVID BOWIE – A LONDON DAY by Kevin Davies will open to the public on 1st March 2024 and run until 20th March 2024 at the Fitzrovia Chapel.

A private press viewing will take place on 29th February.

Exhibition opening times are:
Tuesday to Saturday: 11am – 6pm
Sundays: 12 noon – 5pm
Mondays: Closed

Photos credit: David Bowie © Kevin Davies 1992