A major new exhibition celebrating magical moments from Kylie Minogue’s highly successful concert tours will open at Arts Centre Melbourne on Wednesday 21 September 2016.
The free exhibition, Kylie On Stage is drawn from Kylie’s spectacular stage wardrobe held at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Performing Arts Collection and features costumes from tours dating back to 1989 as well as more recent tours such as Kylie Aphrodite les Follies in 2011.
Featured designers within the world-first exhibition include Dolce and Gabbana, John Galliano, Julien Macdonald, Karl Lagerfeld and Jean Paul Gaultier, as well as local designers including Peter Morrissey and Mark Burnett.
“Touring and live performance has been such a big part of my life and my development as an artist, so I’m thrilled that Arts Centre Melbourne are staging this free national exhibition,” said Kylie Minogue. I’m excited for fans to get up close and personal with my costumes and to get a glimpse behind the curtain to see some of the design process.”
Tours featured in the exhibition include Disco in Dreams (1989); Enjoy Yourself (1990); Rhythm of Love(1991); Let’s Get to It (1991); Intimate and Live (1998); On A Night Like This (2001); Kylie Fever (2003);Kylie Showgirl (2005); Kylie Homecoming (2006); Kylie X2008 (2008); Kylie Aphrodite les Follies (2011) andKylie Kiss Me Once (2015).
The exhibition will be approached chronologically with themed areas that reflect the development of Kylie’s stage persona throughout her career. Kylie On Stage will also feature a selection of designs, working drawings, photographs and footage that explore the creative process behind each costume and provide rare glimpses into the world backstage.
“Kylie is one of the most loved performing artists in the world and a true icon of fashion, music and popular culture,” said Martin Foley, Minister for Creative Industries. “This exhibition celebrates her success, her stagecraft and the creativity that goes into her costumes and shows.”
“The last time Arts Centre Melbourne staged an exhibition of Kylie’s costumes, over a decade ago, it attracted almost 300,000 people locally, and went on to become one of the most visited exhibitions at the V&A in London. With even more spectacular costumes, Kylie On Stage is set to be another big drawcard for our creative state.”
Kylie On Stage has been made possible through a large donation by Minogue to Arts Centre Melbourne’s Performing Arts Collection, the nation’s leading specialist collection documenting Australia’s circus, dance, music, opera and theatre heritage.
“We’re thrilled to be opening up the treasures of our Performing Arts Collection and provide a rare opportunity for Kylie’s legion of fans to go behind the scenes and see first-hand the hard work that goes into creating the on-stage magic,” said Claire Spencer, Chief Executive Officer Arts Centre Melbourne.
Kylie On Stage
Gallery 1 – Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne
Exhibition: 21 September 2016 – 22 January 2017
Free admission
For more information, visit: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au for details.
Image: KylieX 2008 tour – Jean Paul Gaultier – photo by William Baker