RACHEL MURPHY
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM,
LONDON
CREATING THE EXPERIENCE OF
ALEXANDER McQUEEN: SAVAGE
BEAUTY
V&A EXHIBITIONS
V&A Touring
• UK Touring Programme
• International Touring Programme
• Access to V&A Collections
• Breaking new ground and forging
relationships
• Sharing expertise and skills
V&A South Kensington
• World class exhibitions
• Variety of locations at South
Kensington
• Commissions
• Future exhibition galleries
BEHIND THE SCENES OVERVIEW
Exhibition Objectives
• Object selection
• Costume mounting
• Theatrical set
design
• Audio-visual
material
• Show moments
Visitor Objectives
• Maximum impact
• Engage emotionally
• Offer regular
visitors new
experience
• Challenge
expectations
‘The collections at the V&A never fail to intrigue and inspire me.
The nation is privileged to have access to such a resource...
It’s the sort of place I’d like to be shut in overnight.’
Fashion In Motion, 1999 Fashion In Motion, Alexander
McQueen and Shaun Leane, 2001
BACKGROUND TO PROJECT
THE V&A STORY
V&A Cast Courts
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART / PARTNERSHIP WITH ALEXANDER
McQUEEN
Installation view of entrance, Savage Beauty, Metropolitan Museum of Art,
2011
V&A Exhibition:
One third more gallery space, New gallery designs ‘London’ and ‘Primitivism’,
Expanded Cabinet of Curiosities, Enhanced Pepper’s Ghost installation, 66 new
object additions, Publication, Web Feature: The Museum of Savage Beauty
COLLABORATION
V&A Internal departments:
Curatorial, Conservation, Development,
Digital, Exhibitions, Finance, Health &
Safety, Images and Rights, Learning,
Marketing, Museum Events, Photography,
Publications, Press, Security, Technical
Services, VAE Retail, Visitor Services
External collaborators and stakeholders:
Back row: Jefferson Hack, Catherine Brickhill, Daniel
Landin, Trino Verkade, Sarah Burton
Centre row: Guido Palau, Sam Gainsbury, John Gosling,
Sarah Harmarnee, Anne Deniau
Seated front: Shaun Leane, Alexander McQueen
Annie Leibovitz, American Vogue, September 2000
• AMQ archive (garments & 2d material for publication)
• Sarah Burton
• Research trips
• Detective work begins
• Visiting potential lenders
• McQueen Family
• Special commissions
OBJECT SELECTION
EXHIBITION DESIGN
Design team
• Sam Gainsbury
• Joseph Bennett
• Gainsbury &
Whiting
• Guido Palau
• John Gosling
• Daniel Landin
• Michael Nash
Key design changes
• London
• Primitivism
• Cabinet of
Curiosities
• Pepper’s Ghost
installation
COLLABORATION: Development and Press
Exhibition
sponsors:
• Swarovski
• American
Express
• M.A.C Cosmetics
• Samsung
COLLABORATION: Publication and Digital
• New research (archive access)
• 28 authors (V&A scholars & subject specialists)
• New images
• New photography
• Encyclopaedia of collections
COLLABORATION: Learning & Events and Retail
• 2 day conference with LCF
• Lectures, talks, In
Conversations (Sarah
Burton, Sam Gainsbury,
Katy England)
• Fashion workshops
• UAL student design
competitions
LEGACY
• Gala and Lee Alexander McQueen Fashion
Fund
• Acquisitions
• Website (Museum of Savage Beauty, film
archive)
• Documentation of exhibition for
researchers
• Award Nominations
• Fearless approach to exhibition
presentation