V&A to celebrate the power of the DIVA

The V&A museum has announced a new exhibition called DIVA that will open in June. It will be the first of its kind to celebrate the creativity and impact of iconic performers from the 19th century to today.

Image: Whitney Houston performing at Wembley Arena, London 5 May 1988. © David Corio

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) will host a major exhibition called DIVA, celebrating the creative power of iconic performers who have made their voices heard from the 19th century to today. The exhibition will run from 24 June - 7 April 2024, showcasing more than 250 objects from the V&A collection and loans from around the world. The display will feature over 60 looks, including costumes worn by Marilyn Monroe, Maria Callas, Elton John, Shirley Bassey, and Janelle Monae. Diva will also explore how the performers intersected with society, using their platform to drive change, including global civil rights and feminism. The exhibition will present examples of ephemera for the divadom, including posters, song sheets, handwritten lyric sheets, personal objects, and accessories owned by divas.

Image: Sketch of Flame dress for Tina Turner by Bob Mackie, 1977. © Original artwork by Costume and Fashion Designer, Bob Mackie

The exhibition is divided into four sections, the first section of which is 'The Myth of the Diva,' which will explore the origins of the term 'diva' and its meaning throughout history. The second section, 'Divine Dressing,' will showcase the fashion of divas, revealing the power of the diva to use clothing as a tool for self-expression and self-creation.

Image: Photograph of Maria Callas in Verdi's opera La Traviata at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 1958, England. Photo: Houston Rogers © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The third section, 'The Diva Brand,' will highlight the entrepreneurial and enterprising spirit of the diva, and the fourth section, 'Diva on Screen,' will look at the impact of the diva on the big screen. The exhibition will feature iconic costumes worn by Tina Turner, Pink, Cher, and Marilyn Monroe, among others, as well as photographic works by renowned photographers. The curator of DIVA, Kate Bailey, hopes the exhibition will celebrate the multifaceted Diva and their powerful stories of creativity, ambition, and resilience while redefining and reclaiming the term 'diva.'

Date: 24 June 2023 – 7 April 2024. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL. Price: from£20.00. Book now.