Announcing Elvis Presley: Direct from Graceland curated by Bendigo Art Gallery (Australia) in collaboration with the Graceland Archives.
An exclusive exhibition never before seen in Australia celebrating the extraordinary life and style of Elvis Presley. With a wide range of costumes and ultra-cool outfits, vintage memorabilia, and treasured items of one of the most iconic public figures of the 20th century, the exhibition will highlight Elvis’ profound influence on music, design, art and pop culture.
Exhibition Dates: March 19, 2022 – July 17 2022
A major new biographical exhibition exploring one of the most iconic and influential figures of the 20th Century. Elvis: Direct from Graceland will open on March 19, 2022 at Bendigo Art Gallery.
Exclusive to Bendigo, curated by Bendigo Art Gallery in collaboration with Graceland, the exhibition will explore Elvis’ stellar career, his larger-than-life persona, lesser-known aspects of his early years, interests and personal life, and his radical sense of style.
In a major coup for Bendigo, the Gallery has been able to secure unprecedented access to the Graceland archives to present a comprehensive exhibition on arguably one of the world’s greatest and most popular artists.
Elvis: Direct from Graceland will feature around 300 authentic artifacts owned by Elvis Presley, direct from the icon’s Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee - including his military uniforms, his 1976 Red Bicentennial Custom Harley Davidson, and an amazing array of his famous jumpsuits – to personal items like Lisa Marie’s baby clothes, Elvis’ first job application and the 1st grade crayon box he took to school.
Visiting Australia for the first time ever is a bright red convertible 1960 MG from the movie Blue Hawaii, the only car from his films that Elvis actually owned and had brought to the Hawaii location to get around in his free time.
The exhibition will also feature many items that rarely travel beyond the Graceland gates, including Elvis’ wedding tuxedo and Priscilla’s wedding dress, two costumes from the acclaimed television performance known as the ‘68 Comeback Special, and garments from his eclectic home wardrobe.
Angie Marchese, Vice President Archives and Exhibits at Elvis Presley Enterprises, said she was delighted to work with Bendigo Art Gallery to present an exhibition about Elvis’ life in Australia. “It is a great honor to work alongside the creative team at the Bendigo Art Gallery to bring this unprecedented, detailed and comprehensive look into Elvis’ life and career to Australia. While Elvis was never able to visit Australia himself, it brings us great pride at Graceland to know that his legacy and music lives on there. We look forward to sharing a glimpse into Elvis’ life with the fans in Australia.”
Key periods in Elvis’ life and career will be covered, including his early years living in the ‘shotgun shack’ in Tupelo, Mississippi, his break-out Sun Studios hit, U.S. Army service, his time in Hollywood, his unforgettable ’68 Special performance, and the glamourous Vegas years.
The exhibition also moves beyond the familiar story of his musical and acting career to present his more private side - his devotion to his parents, his love of books, motorcycles, horses and karate and the haven he created in Graceland for his friends and family.
The exhibition includes garments and jewellery worn by Elvis throughout his life, personal items from Graceland, as well as vintage Elvis-branded merchandise, costumes and scripts from the Hollywood movies and much more.
Bendigo Art Gallery Director Jessica Bridgfoot said the Gallery was honoured to work closely with the archival team at Graceland to create a detailed account of Elvis’ life and career. “We are so excited to be able to bring this iconic collection to Australia at a time when international travel has been limited,” she said. “This is the latest in the international series of exhibitions presented by Bendigo Art Gallery that pay homage to the great style icons of our recent history, including Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Balenciaga and Mary Quant. What they each have in common is a focus on fashion and design, and this exhibition highlights Elvis’ trailblazing sense of style, the close working relationships he forged with designers such as Lansky Brothers and Bill Belew and his impact on 20th century visual culture.”
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said: “Landing this exhibition is a major coup for Bendigo and Victoria and thousands of Elvis fans will be marking the dates in their diaries right now. Whether people come for the jumpsuits, the Harley or just to celebrate one of the great figures in recent history, the benefit will extend to cafes, restaurants and hotels across the region.”