Becoming Bob Dylan

In this exhibit about the early years of Bob Dylan’s career, contextual setting is achieved using backdrops made of authentic, surprising materials, including iron ore, leather and concrete.

Project:
Bob Dylan’s American Journey: 1956–1966

Gallery Type:
3,500 sq.-ft. interpretive touring exhibition

Our Role:
Exhibit design; Graphic design; Audio-visual space

Project Partners:
Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), Seattle, WA; Turner Exhibits, Lynnwood, WA

Photos:
Lara swimmer

Compelling Prospects

Striking visual prospects draw visitors from one narrative section to the next. A wall of iron ore provides a dramatic backdrop for the story of Dylan’s origins in a mining town.

Adding Texture

Graphics for early sections of the exhibit were printed onto leather and concrete panels, providing textures that recall aspects of the Folk Revival movement that Dylan had a hand in. Black leather panels mark a culminating point in the narrative where Dylan dons a black leather jacket, “plugs in” and changes everything.

Audio-visual Experiences

Throughout the exhibit are audiovisual experiences within enclosures designed to control sound.