WHAT?  David Bowie - A London Day 

WHERE?  Fitzrovia Chapel, 2 Pearson Square, London W1T 3BF

WHEN?  Now until 20th March.  Free to view.

WHY GO?  To soothe the soul.  Just how many photos can be snapped in a day?  A whole lot, when the subject is none other than the enigmatic Bowie.  This intimate photographic exhibition in the even more intimate setting of the glorious Fitzrovia Chapel features 20 images of the legendary musician.

Engraved as a diary date of note, 13th December 1992 was the day photographer Kevin Davies spent with Bowie just before he released his 18th studio album Black Tie White Noise.

Davies was commissioned to photograph Bowie to promote the album.  Some 30 years later, he uncovered boxes of perfectly preserved negatives from his epic shoot when over 450 images were originally captured. 

Collaborating with journalist and cultural historian Dylan Jones, an edit was made and is now on view for all to appreciate and it has a meditative vibe in the sanctuary of the chapel setting.

Bowie was aged 45 at the time, and the edit acknowledges his personal favourites marked up on the original contact sheets.  It appeals to purists who love ‘real’ photography and fuses together the magic of music and history whether you are a Bowie fan or not. And frankly, who is not? 

IN THE KNOW  The Fitzrovia Chapel has a rich history.  It began as the Middlesex Infirmary, expanding to become a general hospital. The Gothic chapel was built as a memorial to the Chairman of the hospital governors in the late 1880’s taking more than 25 years to complete.  

The hospital closed in 2005 but the chapel was saved and restored between 2013-15 and is now a registered charity. 

Never fully consecrated, it's a unique venue for quiet reflection and can be hired for all events.  No doubt, Bowie, as a ‘spiritual’ man would have approved of the setting for his pictures in an exhibition!