The Art Collection of David Bowie

Join us on a journey around the world as we explore five pieces from David Bowie’s art collection and discover the impact the art he collected had on Bowie’s own artistic output.

From mod to glam rock king, from pop star to movie star, there’s a David Bowie for everybody. Even when you invite an art historian to talk about art, they’d rather talk about David Bowie!

By the 2000’s, David Bowie amassed a substantial collection of paintings, sculptures and furniture. Following the singer’s death in 2016, Bowie’s art buyer and curator Beth Greenacre, helped to organize the sale of around 65% of the collection. The sale was a big public event and the best attended exhibition that Sotheby’s had ever put on with plenty of eminent artists to draw in the crowd.

Bowie collected works that meant something to him, however this personal side of the collection didn’t reflect the public personas of Bowie that we’ve come to know. The collection was described by critics as quiet and muted, but it was in this subtler side of the collection that Bowie’s preoccupation lay.

Press play to explore Bowie’s “obsessive” art collection and learn what it tells us about him. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay updated.