Simply Madonna

This afternoon we went to see the 'Simply Madonna' exhibition at the Old Truman Brewery at Brick Lane. It's a collection of Madonna clothes and memorabilia acquired (owned or borrowed) by Marquee Capital. I'm not sure what Marquee Capital is but I assume it's about money in some respect, as in making it. It says on the blurb that it's in conjunction with Barnardos and has a big disclaimer to say that it's got nothing to do with Madonna. I believe the latter - I can't see Madonna supporting something so amateur.

The exhibition is mainly of her stage costumes and 'Evita' dresses, plus various bits of memorabilia, posters and record covers. It's interesting enough and any Madonna fan will want to see this stuff (let's face it, her personal bits have touched this cloth), including contracts signed as 'Madonna Penn' and the 100 copies only box set of her CDs. But it strikes me as such a wasted opportunity.

The exhibition is in a large room with the brickwork painted white. The main lights are switched off and all lighting is provided by spotlights, not particularly well positioned or enlightening. There are two main exhibitions - stage costumes at one end of the space and 'Evita' frocks at the other, except the 'Evita' frocks could have come from any film of that era and don't really say 'Madonna' - at least not to me.

The space wasn't very well used and the lighting was very poor. There wasn't enough lighting to see the clothes other that in general - any costumier who wanted to see the detail would be very disappointed. Why put posters on the wall in dark corners without any lighting? Most of the publicity for the exhibition is based on the pink 'Material Girl' dress but the frock is mainly covered by a white stole so you don't really see that much of the dress.

The biggest sin was the pubescent manequins used as models. Um, excuse me people, but Madonna is a woman with full breasts and a bum, not a skinny little anorexic thing with no real shape. The costumes were hanging off the models because they were made for a woman not a little doll. And the wigs must've come from a job lot. It was particularly galling for some of the costumes with photos of Madonna wearing them beside the model, particularly where the hair is wrong (side partings aren't the same as centre partings, y'know, it's not rocket science) as well as the bust size.

I'm sorry to be so down on the exhibition but it's such an opportunity lost. It's shabbily thrown together with no real thought. I'll be getting sticky and sweet with the real thing again this summer.