It’s just been announced that Shanghai’s Minsheng Art Museum, of all places, will host an exhibition of James Bond memorabilia this Spring. Titled Designing 007, 50 Years of Bond Style, the show celebrates the film franchise’s 50th anniversary and is organized by the UK’s multidisciplinary Barbican Center, and producers, EON.
The exhibition impressed London crowds at its debut last summer, and is currently touring in Toronto, Canada. Fittingly given its glitzy cameo in Bond’s latest escapade, Skyfall, Shanghai will be the show’s first stop on the Asia leg of its tour.
It’s curated by fashion historian Bronwyn Cosgrave and Oscar-winning, Bond-film costume designer Lindy Hemming. That in itself should give some clue as to the show’s strengths, with exhibits set to include storyboards and concept drawings, as well as actual artifacts.
Another draw is set to be an impressive range of gadgetry, including a replica of that Aston Martin DB5 from 1964′s Goldfinger; Scaramanga’s golden gun, and even Jaws’ steel teeth. Good stuff, but it’s more the ‘making of’ element that we’re looking forward to – special effects, costume design and so on.
The 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall, has just been released here in the Middle Kingdom, albeit an annoyingly censored version. Anyway, if it’s a big screen experience you’re after, sister site SmartShanghai has cinema times here.
Mark your diaries, Bond-fans: Minsheng Art Museum, 28 March through June 30. The ticket price is – 80rmb during the week and 120 at weekends.
