{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1781774"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1781774/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PG7277/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PG7277/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PG7277","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PG7278","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1781774","accessionNumber":"LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.1055-2024","objectType":"Set Model","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Set model designed by Mark Ravitz and Jules Fisher for David Bowie's <i>Diamond Dogs Tour,</i> 1974. \n\n<b>Part 1: Set Model</b>\nSmall set model with angular, abstract buildings and towers surrounding the stage, each hand-painted and hand-drawn on card. Some of the buildings feature illustrations of brightly coloured 'paint' dripping from their rooves; at stage right, there is a puddle of red 'paint' pooled on the floor. At the front centre of the stage is a small cardboard model of David Bowie, in a cream-coloured suit and blue tie with arms outstretched, standing in front of a small metal model of a microphone stand. He is standing in front of a mirrored hexagonal structure. Behind the figure, to stage left, is a gold model drum kit on a raised black platform. The entire set model is mounted on a black wooden base.\n\n<b>Part 2: Lid</b>\nA clear Perspex cover which fits over the set model. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Ravitz, Mark","id":"AUTH402108"},"association":{"text":"designed and made","id":"x28674"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Fisher, Jules","id":"AUTH410197"},"association":{"text":"designed and made","id":"x28674"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oil pastel","id":"x44107"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"glue","id":"AAT14815"},{"text":"tape","id":"AAT14685"},{"text":"card","id":"THES406954"},{"text":"metal","id":"AAT10900"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"clay","id":"AAT10439"},{"text":"Perspex","id":"AAT14435"},{"text":"metallic paper","id":"AAT183843"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil pastel, watercolour, pencil, ink, glue and tape on card, with metal, paint, wood, clay, metallic paper and Perspex","categories":[{"text":"David Bowie Archive","id":"THES394093"},{"text":"Entertainment and leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2025PG7277","2025PG7278"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES343556"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES343556"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"set models","id":"x46564"}],[{"text":"lids","id":"AAT45712"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"United States of America","id":"x29333"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1974","earliest":"1969-01-01","latest":"1978-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.1056-2024","id":"O1781775"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"DBA/2/1/7/2","id":"ARC270039"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Lent by the V&A Americas Foundation through the generosity of Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment Company LLC","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"23.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"32.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"21.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This model is one of two that was made by set designer Mark Ravitz and lighting designer Jules Fisher. The designs for this set are held in Folder 5 of DBA/2/1/7/2. \r\n\r\nIn the early 1970s, Broadway lighting designer Jules Fisher was a lecturer on the NYU Theatrical Design programme, of which Mark Ravitz was a student. On graduating, Fisher invited Ravitz to work as a designer at his company, Jules Fisher Associates. In 1974, Fisher was approached by David Bowie to design the lighting for the<i> Diamond Dogs </i>tour, and he brought Ravitz on board to design the set. \r\n\r\nFor the <i>Diamond Dogs</i> tour, Bowie had a vision for a set which visualised the fictional 'Hunger City' concept of the album. Bowie wanted a German expressionist aesthetic, drawing inspiration from the film <i>The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari</i> and Fritz Lang's <i>Metropolis</i> . In a 2016 article entitled 'Goodbye Spaceboy', Fisher recalled the elaborate nature of the set design:\r\n\r\n'The set had off-kilter skyscrapers that were covered in  printed paper for him to tear down at the end of the  show; a walking bridge with three street lamps for him  to sing under, which then lowered to the stage level; a  chair 18' in the air with him in it that came out of one  building to pivot forward over the first rows of the  audience while singing “Major Tom”; a 10'-high mirror- covered box that robotically drove on stage and then  opened up to reveal David seated within dozens of  ultraviolet fluorescent tubes.'\r\n\r\nThe finished set cost approximatley $400,000 to build and weighed six tonnes. It was, in fact, so expensive and elaborate that it was ultimately dropped for the second leg of the tour, sometimes known as the 'Soul/Philly Dogs' tour.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Set model with lid, designed by Mark Ravitz and Jules Fisher for David Bowie's <i>Diamond Dogs Tour,</i> 1974","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"Concert tour: The Diamond Dogs Tour (14/06/1974 - 02/12/1974)","id":"AUTH401675"}],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.1055:1-2024","LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.1055:2-2024"],"accessionNumberNum":"1055","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION","accessionYear":2024,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"David Bowie Archive Number","id":"THES394108"},"number":"1974.3004.0176"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-20","recordCreationDate":"2024-06-11","availableToBook":false}}