Electronic: From Kraftwerk to the Chemical Brothers
After much delay, one of the most hotly anticipated exhibitions of the year is finally open at London’s Design Museum. Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers was scheduled to run in March, and in August it becomes the first major exhibition to open in the UK since lockdown forced the closure of museums and galleries across the country.
The exhibition charts a history of electronic music from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop to the futurist techno of today, exploring not only the culture and music of distinctive movements but also the artistic designs that go with them. From Moog synthesisers to Peter Saville’s Factory Records graphic artwork, and the architecture of world-renowned clubs like Berlin’s Berghain, Manchester’s Hacienda and London’s Fabric, a vivid journey is created via a rich bank of visual and audio exhibits from start to finish.
The neon-lit showcase is accompanied by a five-decade audio mix by DJ Laurent Garnier, featuring everything from the ‘70s disco of Giorgio Moroder to the French electro of Daft Punk and Justice. Reviews have already described it as the closest thing to the nightclub that post-lockdown Britain has to offer.
Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers runs at the Design Museum until February 2021.