(Londres) Elles sont des artistes charismatiques qui ont ajouté leur voix au féminisme, à la lutte contre le racisme ou aux droits des personnes LGBT+ : des chanteuses d’opéra du XIXe siècle aux superstars de la pop, les « divas » sont à l’affiche d’une grande exposition à Londres.
Du 24 juin au 7 avril 2024, le Victoria and Albert Museum de Londres présente « DIVA », une exposition qui retrace l’histoire de dizaines de femmes, principalement américaines et européennes, et de quelques hommes à l’image unique et au talent marqué.
Le visiteur peut y découvrir leur vie à travers plus de 250 objets-photographies, affiches de films, magazines, dessins de mode, extraits de films-accompagnés d’une bande sonore qui évolue grâce à des écouteurs interactifs.
Mais le cœur de l’exposition est constitué d’une soixantaine de tenues, allant des robes à paillettes portées par Joséphine Baker au début du XXe siècle aux créations de Stella McCartney pour la chanteuse américaine Billie Eilish, en passant par des modèles de grands couturiers portés sur les tapis rouges.
« Depuis les chanteuses d’opéra du début du XIXe siècle qui commandaient leurs propres robes de couture jusqu’au […] Met Gala, the image of the diva expressing herself through fashion is incredibly important, ”explained to AFP Kate Bailey, curator of the exhibition.
Traced as a journey through two centuries of female emancipation, the exhibition begins with the first use of the Italian word “diva” (goddess) to refer to great opera singers such as the soprano Adelina Patti, who in the 19th century , was the most famous woman in the UK after Queen Victoria.
Their status as divas allowed these women to enjoy an independence that was unusual for the time, making them pioneers in the fight for equality. The concept then evolved towards the stage, with dancers like the American Isadora Duncan and actresses like the Frenchwoman Sarah Bernhardt.
“My life has been a struggle to do things my way, with the feeling of being right,” said Sarah Bernhardt, who played 19th-century male roles such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
power and creativity
The diva then went from the stage to the cinema, silent then sound. A significant part of the exhibition is devoted to icons such as Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe, the latter being represented by the famous pop portrait of Andy Warhol.
By recounting the struggle of these artists to find a place in a world dominated by men, the exhibition also describes the parallel evolution of the feminist movement and the creative industries.
It’s about showing “the diva and her power, the diva and her creativity […]the one who has a voice and uses this platform to turn the situation around,” said Ms.me Bailey.
The exhibition also focuses on Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald, artists and anti-racist activists, exhibited alongside more recent images from the Black Lives Matter movement.
If the most recent part of the exhibition focuses on stars like Tina Turner or Cher, with their spectacular outfits, the punk movement is also represented with the Englishwoman Siouxsie Sioux and her unconventional outfits.
The exhibition also focuses on Madonna, Björk and Lady Gaga, explaining that their ability to reinvent themselves like a chameleon has led some of them, such as the Scottish Annie Lennox, to play with borders of the kind.
This gender fluidity makes it possible to include other “divas” who, like Freddie Mercury, Elton John or Prince, have contributed to the fight for LGBT+ people with their feathered costumes and high heels, until reaching figures like black queer rapper Lil Nas X.