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The Man Who Sold the World

Phonograph Record
1970 (recorded)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Bowie’s album The Man Who Sold the World was released in April 1971. The deliberately androgynous and theatrical cover photograph shows Bowie wearing a ‘man-dress’ by pioneering 1960s designer Mr Fish. It was taken by Kieth McMillan at Bowie’s flat in Beckenham, ‘Haddon Hall’. The styling of the scene was arguably influenced by the set dressing in Performance (1968), which starred Mick Jagger. This cover was only used on the UK release - the American record label refused to issue such a controversial image and instead used a cartoon cover, showing a John Wayne style cowboy with a gun. Bowie wore such a man-dress on his first tour to the USA in 1971, provoking a range of strong reactions.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleThe Man Who Sold the World (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Vinyl and printed card
Brief description
Vinyl LP record and sleeve for The Man Who Sold the World album by David Bowie, released in the UK by Mercury Records in 1971
Physical description
Vinyl LP record for The Man Who Sold the World album by David Bowie. Featuring a colour photograph of Bowie reclining on a chaise longue and wearing a man's dress designed by Michael Fish.
Dimensions
  • Height: 8.5cm
  • Fanned out width: 8.5cm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
David Bowie / The Man Who Sold the World (Printed on cover in italics)
Gallery label
[G10.2 – label 3 on strip] Keyword: CONTRADICTION The Man Who Sold the World David Bowie 1971 This album cover represents Bowie for the first time as a self-consciously theatrical character. Wearing a man-dress by the flamboyant designer Mr Fish, with feminine boots and long hair, he projected a provocatively seductive and androgynous image. It was considered too controversial for the American market and replaced with a cartoon image of a cowboy carrying a gun. V&A: S.433-2013 [2D-1010] (22/02/2013)
Subject depicted
Summary
Bowie’s album The Man Who Sold the World was released in April 1971. The deliberately androgynous and theatrical cover photograph shows Bowie wearing a ‘man-dress’ by pioneering 1960s designer Mr Fish. It was taken by Kieth McMillan at Bowie’s flat in Beckenham, ‘Haddon Hall’. The styling of the scene was arguably influenced by the set dressing in Performance (1968), which starred Mick Jagger. This cover was only used on the UK release - the American record label refused to issue such a controversial image and instead used a cartoon cover, showing a John Wayne style cowboy with a gun. Bowie wore such a man-dress on his first tour to the USA in 1971, provoking a range of strong reactions.
Collection
Accession number
S.433-2013

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Record createdDecember 4, 2012
Record URL
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