An exhibition of pop music memorabilia from the 1950s to present day has gone on display at the University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery & Museum.
`Mixcase: Music Memory Traces’ displays a selection of items from the collections of the Institute of Popular Music at the University of Liverpool including rare records, magazines, items of clothing and musical instruments all of which are associated with music from Liverpool.
Also featured are special loans from music fans including the drum which featured in the video, `There She Goes’ by Liverpool band, the La’s and jeans, trainers and top worn by Spice Girl, Mel C.
Exhibition co-curator, Dr Robert Knifton, from the Institute of Popular Music, said: “People keep a range of items for a whole range of reasons. Some keep ticket stubs and flyers as a way to maintain the memory of a fleeting live performance whilst others collect objects associated with acclaimed stars. This exhibition invites visitors to think about the emotional, personal and cultural worth that we give to the items we collect.”
Dr Marion Leonard, co-curator, said: “Fan passion for musical acts drives the market for memorabilia, merchandise and material effects. This exhibition aims to capture this fan experience, displaying some of the objects that we collect to bring us closer to the musicians we idolise.”
The items of clothing worn by Mel C have been loaned by Liz West who has assembled the world’s largest collection of Spice Girls objects, earning her a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
The `Mixcase: Music Memory Traces’ exhibition is on display in the ground floor of the Victoria Gallery & Museum until 17 December 2011.
Admission to all galleries and exhibitions at the VG&M is free and the building is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm.
Mixcase has been supported by the School of the Arts, University of Liverpool and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). The display is part of the research project ‘Collecting and Curating Popular Music Histories’ funded by the AHRC’s Beyond Text programme.