Are you ready? London’s V&A is opening an exhibition dedicated to Taylor Swift

When the V&A museum in London announced in February that he was looking for a Taylor Swift superfan for an advisory role, he may have buried the lead role.

The exhibition ‘Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail’ opens at the V&A South Kensington later this month, focusing on 16 outfits worn by the 14-time Grammy Award-winning musician.

The exhibition pays tribute to Swift’s lyrics and music videos in addition to her costumes, delving into Swift’s global phenomenon. Also on display are instruments, music awards, storyboards and never-before-seen archival material from her childhood and legacy. It spans from her early styles, when she emerged as a country musician in 2007 wearing cowboy boots, to the jet black, ruffled shoulder dress she wears in the music video for the single “Fortnight,” from her latest album, Department of Tortured Poets.

“We are delighted to be able to present a range of iconic looks worn by Taylor Swift at the V&A this summer,” said Kate Bailey, Senior Curator of Theatre and Performance. “Each one celebrates a chapter in the artist’s musical journey. Taylor Swift’s songs, like the objects, tell stories, often inspired by art, history and literature. We hope this theatrical journey through the museum will inspire curious visitors to discover more about the artist, her creativity and the V&A’s objects.”

By visiting the galleries of the museum’s collection, the “journey” will confront Taylor’s views with the spaces and objects in the museum’s collections.

Conceived by award-winning designer Tom Piper, the show anticipates Swift’s triumphant return to London’s Wembley Stadium for a five-night run with Paramore on August 15.

The V&A is the latest museum to boost attendance with a Swift exhibition. The Stone Harbor Museum in New Jersey has just opened an exhibition of Swift memorabilia, including photos of a young Swift and her family on holiday in the Bay Area. Last year, Museum of Arts and Design, New York dedicated an entire floor from its installation to a show dedicated to the pop star.

“Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail” will be on display at the V&A Kensington, Cromwell Rd, London, UK, from 27 July to 8 September 2024.

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