Kylie On Stage

Kylie on Stage photo by Ken McKayIn an international first, a major new exhibition celebrating magical moments from Kylie Minogue’s highly successful concert tours, Kylie On Stage will open at Arts Centre Melbourne in late September 2016.

“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.”

This free exhibition 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 John Paul Gaultier as well as local designers including Peter Morrissey and Mark Burnett.

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); and Kylie Kiss Me Once (2015).

“Kylie is one of the most loved performing artists in the world and a true icon of fashion, music and popular culture, This exhibition celebrates her success, her stagecraft and the creativity that goes into her costumes and shows,” said Martin Foley, Minister for Creative Industries.

“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,” added Minister Foley.

The exhibition has been made possible through a large donation by Kylie 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.

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.

To celebrate the announcement of the exhibition, a costume worn by Kylie Minogue in the For You, For Me US tour in 2009 designed by Jean Paul Gaultier will be on display at Arts Centre Melbourne from now until the exhibition opens. Visitors can take a selfie with the costume and upload with the hashtag #kylieonstage for a chance to win a VIP private tour of the exhibition. For more details, visit Arts Centre Melbourne’s Instagram page.

Kylie On Stage
Gallery 1 – Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne
Exhibition: September 2016 to 30 January 2017
Free admission

For more information, visit: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au for details.

Image: Kylie Minogue – photo by Ken McKay