Dialogue in the dark: David Bowie meets Nina Simone at Steve McQueen's exhibition at Guggenheim Bilbao
Stepping into the dimly lit chamber of the Guggenheim Bilbao, visitors are greeted by a sparse carpet, pinpoint lights and an immersive soundscape that pits the acapella voice of Nina Simone against the echoing reply of David Bowie. The two recordings, never performed together, become a single emotional thread that pulls the audience into a private conversation of love and yearning.
The work is built around a song that first appeared in a 1957 film, was transformed by Simone in 1966, and later re‑imagined by Bowie a decade after. Steve McQueen was drawn to the way each artist re‑cast the melody, highlighting a yearning that transcends time. By aligning the two versions, the installation creates a fire‑like resonance that feels both intimate and universal.
Titled 66–76–26, the numbers reference the years of the recordings and the exhibition itself, anchoring the piece in moments of social upheaval—from civil‑rights protests to the Vietnam era. In the present climate of turbulence, the work invites contemplation of what endures: a simple, stubborn belief in love.
Beyond this specific duet, the show sits within McQueen’s broader practice of probing perception, memory and embodiment. A parallel film programme showcases his cinematic achievements, reinforcing the dialogue between moving image and gallery space that has defined his career from the Venice Biennale to the Tate.