Price range: £125.00 through £295.00
On the 19th of April 1973, the Aladdin Sane album was released to critical acclaim. The music speaks for itself but rarely has a portrait on an album cover become the definitive image of one man. Rarely has an image become known as a cultural icon (as quoted by the V&A) or popularly known as the ‘Mona Lisa of Pop’. Thousands of words have been written on the image, numerous interpretations of the pool of liquid on David Bowie’s collarbone and the lighting flash has been replicated ad infinitum.
Taken by Duffy during the second of five sessions with David Bowie – Duffy’s most famous photograph dates from 1973, the iconic and revolutionary cover of David Bowie’s album – Aladdin Sane. This Demi Contact shows how different the album could have been with a selection of alternate poses.
The defining images of Duffy and Bowie’s creative relationship are synonymous with the legacy of both artists. Bowie's manager, Tony Defries, commissioned Duffy Design Concepts to create the entire Aladdin Sane album. The brief was simple: "Can you make it expensive?" The intention was to take Bowie to an international level. If the production cost were so expensive, the record label would have to pay attention. A dye-transfer image was the answer. This notoriously costly process, with production in Switzerland, ensured that RCA invested in the up-and-coming star. Duffy drew the iconic red and blue 'lightning bolt' across David’s face in lipstick. Makeup artist Pierre Laroche then filled in the outline. The image was sent to airbrush artist Philip Castle, who had previously worked with Duffy on the 1973 Pirelli Calendar. Castle added the water symbol to Bowie’s clavicle, which Bowie later remarked he thought was "quite sweet".
Our Standard Archival Quality Pigment Ink Prints come in two sizes: Standard and Gallery. All of our prints are ready to frame and supplied with a choice of black or white acid-free mount.
A Standard Square print has an image size of approximately 7.5″ x 7.5″ (19.05cm x 19.05cm) in a 12.4″ x 12.4″ (31.5cm x 31.5cm) mount. Our Standard size open-edition prints are the same size as a 12.4" vinyl album sleeve for convenient framing.
A Gallery Square print has an image size of approximately 12“ x 12" (31 cm x 31 cm) in a 19.75 “ x 19.75" (50 cm x 50 cm) mount. Our Gallery size open edition prints drop straight into 50cm x 50cm frames, which are available from many retailers.
High-quality black frames for Gallery prints can be made in-house for mainland UK orders. Please contact us if you would like a framed print, and a quote will be provided.
A mount is a paper-based border between the frame and the image. It adds an extra decorative element and also prevents the print from touching the glass or perspex of the frame. We supply two sizes of mount, in either square or landscape/portrait aperture, in black or white.
As with all our prints, each open edition is handmade, printed, assembled and packed at the Duffy Archive. Each print is embossed with the Duffy Archive stamp, and the reverse of each mount has a sticker detailing a brief history of the session and ink stamped with a logo from Duffy's camera cases.
For the 50th anniversary of this image, the Aladdin Sane 50 book was written in celebration of this iconic session with David Bowie. Half a century after the album’s release this image is still controversial, fresh, challenging, beautiful and ethereal. One never tires of its simplicity and boldness.
Limited to 1000 Aladdin Sane hardback books with two bound-in 5”x7” postcards of previously unreleased images. This edition is exclusive to the Duffy Archive and all books are embossed with the AS50 stamp, the Duffy Archive stamp and signed by Chris Duffy. The books can be personalised with a message upon request.
Limited and Signed editions are available, to discuss options please Contact Us.
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