On the 10th of January this year, Wieden+Kennedy London will be opening Space Oddity; a visual deconstruction at their gallery space on Hanbury Street, in East London, which will celebrate the life of David Bowie. Space Oddity uses musical data from the classic track of the same name to create a tribute to the work of Bowie on the one-year anniversary of his death.
Conceived by designer Valentina D’Efilippo and researcher Miriam Quick and curated by W+K, the project visualises musical data from the 1969 track as a series of 10 specially engraved records, with accompanying large scale art prints and projection. Each 12-inch disc deconstructs the track in a different way: melodies, harmonies, lyrics, structure and underlying story are all transformed into compelling visual imagery that inhabits the broken interstellar world of the song. The records and art prints will also be available, with all profit going to charity. D’Efilippo is a London-based designer and co-author of the award-winning book The Infographic History of the World, whilst Quick is a data journalist and researcher, who also has a PhD in Music from King’s College London.
Valentina D’Efilippo (left) and Miriam Quick (right)
An innovative moving image piece will be projected into the W+K window space, taking viewers on an immersive journey through Bowie’s famous track. Generated directly from the recording, the image is precisely synchronised with the sound, which gives the viewer the uncanny experience of seeing and hearing the music at the same time. Passers-by on Hanbury Street can interact with the installation by sending a tweet using the hashtag #canyouhearmemajortom and receive a personalised postcard.
Genevieve Sheppard, Producer at Wieden+Kennedy, said: “Bowie was always looking ahead to integrate art and technology. With this exhibit, we seek to not only commemorate a great artist but also take inspiration for our own artistic exploration of his work. We are so pleased to join the topical conversation of Bowie that will undoubtedly take place in January and hope we leave viewers with a new appreciation for the artist and his work.”
Space Oddity; a visual deconstruction will be exhibited at the W+K London office from the 10th of January until the 23rd of January 2017. The project website can be found at oddityviz.com and an Instagram gallery will also be curated using the hashtag #oddityviz.
