Art Review: Madonna Nudes @ Seven Dials, Covent Garden

By ClaireG Last edited 176 months ago
Art Review: Madonna Nudes @ Seven Dials, Covent Garden

Madonna p13.jpg Today sees the opening of the Madonna Nudes exhibition in Covent Garden, set to coincide with the London leg of her Sticky & Sweet tour. Taken in 1979 whilst Madonna was struggling to pay her way through dance school, the photos are being displayed here for the first time to commemorate their 30th anniversary.

It's unlikely Madge will be too troubled by the shop window display of her in her birthday suit. The pictures were sold to Playboy back in 1985 as soon as photographer Martin Schreiber realised who he had sat in his archives. In these pictures Madonna exudes natural youth and beauty in contrast to how we now view her sharper figure and excessively toned muscle. When we arrived the gallery were blasting out early Madonna hits but overall the event was pretty unremarkable. Whilst there was a lot of Madonna to see her absence was palpable, because you know she probably wouldn't approve.

The collection, hosted in conjunction with ImpureArt whose Brighton gallery they have recently been displayed at, will be available to view, and buy, at 19 Earlham Street until 19th July. Included in this exhibition is a one off print of the original Polaroid test shot expected to fetch in excess of £40,000. Not a bad return on the $30 Schreiber paid her to model for the shots!

Madonna Nudes - 30th Anniversary Exhibition, until 19th July 2009, 19 Earlham Street, WC2, for more information go to the Seven Dials website here.

Last Updated 02 July 2009