Retrospective Prince exhibition a chance to say goodbye, says late musician’s sister
It features a message wall allowing fans to leave items or notes to the late artist.
The first ever Prince retrospective exhibition – showcasing hundreds of never-before-seen instruments, outfits and artefacts – is a chance for fans to get closure following the acclaimed musician’s death, his sister has said.
Tyka Nelson labelled the exhibition, which launches at London’s O2 Arena on Friday, a “miniature Paisley Park” in reference to the Minnesota estate where the Purple Rain singer resided and worked.
It includes Prince’s diamond studded cane from 2015, a Raspberry Beret cloud suit from 1985 and the Gibson L65 guitar he used on his national television debut on American Bandstand in 1980.
One of the first notes read that he had saved a fan’s life, with its author adding “I am a funkier person because of your music”.
Nelson, in London for the exhibition’s opening, said she wanted to bring the show to the UK and possibly worldwide for fans to “get some closure”.
She told the Press Association: “It’s why I’m here, I’ve been told I favour my mum and dad and so if you look at me and you see Prince, maybe that’s good, maybe this is the closest you’ll ever get to him.
“It’s been helping me as well, to get hugs, to hear those stories, even though we’ve both cried through it … People stop by the house all the time and that’s closure for them and for me,” she added.
Also featured in the exhibition is clothing from his 21 nights at the O2 in 2007, the orange Cloud guitar specially made for the singer’s Super Bowl half-time performance, and a number of handwritten song lyrics.
People will get the chance to journey through Prince’s life in music and film, with space dedicated to individual albums including the acclaimed Purple Rain and Sign O’ The Times.
Curator of the exhibition, Angie Marchese, echoed Nelson’s calls that the exhibition would offer a chance for fans to say goodbye.
She told the Press Association: “We know that when people are at Paisley Park that’s one thing they come away with, they have great memories but they come away and feel like they’ve been able to say goodbye as well as thank you, and we’re hoping people can do that here as well.”
:: The My Name Is Prince exhibition runs from October 27 until January 7 2018 at the O2 in London.
