'David Bowie Is’ Explores the Career of the Musical Legend (Photos)

In pop culture today, it’s almost expected for big name performers to combine their musical talent with artistic collaborations, consistently reinventing themselves and taking on new personas and identities. Think Beyonce's Sasha Fierce and Lady Gaga's Jo Calderone. But no one has done it quite as well, or for as long, as David Bowie, whose epic five-decade career as a musician, artist, and actor is being honored in a museum retrospective tourin the globe. On Tuesday, David Bowie Is will be making its only American stop at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. The exhibit introduces the musician like never before, displaying over 400 items from his extensive personal archives, including costumes, drug paraphernalia, and oil paintings and sketches he made. Here are a few of the highlights.

Left, the album cover shoot for Aladdin Sane, 1973. Design: Brian Duffy and Celia Philo. Make up: Pierre La Roche.

Duffy Archive & The David Bowie Archive.

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Asymmetric knitted bodysuit, 1973. Designed by Kansai Yamamoto for the Aladdin Sane tour.

Victoria and Albert Museum

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Original photography for the Earthling album cover, 1997. Coat: Alexander McQueen.

Frank W Ockenfels 3

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Ice-blue suit, 1972

Victoria and Albert Museum

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Photo collage of manipulated film stills from The Man Who Fell to Earth, c. 1975-6.

V&A Images.

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Striped bodysuit for Aladdin Sane tour, 1973.

Sukita / The David Bowie Archive 2012.

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Promotional shoot for The Kon-rads, 1963. Photo: Roy Ainsworth. Courtesy of The David Bowie Archive 2012.

V&A Images

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Metallic bodysuit, 1973. Designed by Kansai Yamamoto for the Aladdin Sane tour.

Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

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David Bowie, 1973.

Sukita / The David Bowie Archive.

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Quilted two-piece suit, 1972. Designed by Freddie Burretti for the Ziggy Stardust tour. Courtesy of The David Bowie Archive

ictoria and Albert Museum

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David Bowie during the filming of the "Ashes to Ashes" video, 1980. Photo: Brian Duffy.

Duffy Archive & The David Bowie Archive.

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David Bowie and William Burroughs, 1974.

V&A Images

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The Archer, Station to Station tour, 1976.

John Robert Rowlands.

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Installation view, David Bowie Is, MCA Chicago. September 23, 2014 - January 4, 2015. Photo: Nathan Keay,

The David Bowie Archive. Courtesy of the MCA Chicago.

'David Bowie Is’ Explores the Career of the Musical Legend (Photos)

A new exhibit looks back at the musician's five-decade career through over 400 items from his extensive personal archives, including costumes, drug paraphernalia, and paintings.

Justin Jones