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Sep 8, 2016
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'You Say You Want a Revolution?' 1960s exhibition opens in London

By
Reuters
Published
Sep 8, 2016

If, as The Beatles sang, you say you want a revolution, a new major exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London may have one for you.


London's Victoria and Albert Museum's "You say you want a revolution" exhibition opens Sept. 10. - Victoria and Albert Museum, Instagram



The exhibition, titled "You Say You Want a Revolution? Records and Rebels 1966-1970", explores the era-defining impact of the period on modern life, touching on music, civil rights, consumerism, multiculturalism and more.

The program "investigates the upheaval, the explosive sense of freedom, and the legal changes that took place resulting in a fundamental shift in the mindset of the Western World from 1966-1970," the museum said.

"The years 1966-1970, 5 years, 1,828 days, were a real key part of the creation of the modern world," Geoffrey Marsh, co-creator of the exhibition, told Reuters.

"It seemed an interesting time to go back and look at this period because in lots of ways it has a huge impact on today," he added.

The exhibition includes more than 350 objects, encompassing photography, posters, music, film, fashion, artifacts, design and performance.

The show features the space suit worn by William Anders, the former NASA astronaut; a moon rock on loan from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the suits worn by Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison on the cover of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album; clothes worn by Twiggy, the sixties model and style icon; and shards from rocker Jimi Hendrix's guitar.

"There's this extraordinary sense of freedom and the wish for change, and I think what we're trying to capture in this exhibition is there wasn't just one revolution, there were literally hundreds of revolutions," Marsh said.

The exhibition focuses on particular places and events, like Carnaby Street in London, the Woodstock Festival of 1969 and alternative communities on the U.S. West Coast.

"The sixties was genuinely a revolutionary period. You hope that people are inspired to try and have the kind of impact on society today," said Joe Boyd, a music producer who played a crucial role in the careers of rock group Pink Floyd.

"But, you know, we can only hope."

The exhibition will be open to the public until Feb. 26, 2017.
 

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