Barbican Music Library revisits 1996 in new ‘Cool Britannia’ exhibition

On Thursday 16 April the City of London Corporation will open a free exhibition at the Barbican Music Library revisiting 1996, a year widely seen as a defining moment in modern British culture.

1996: A celebration of the wildest year of Britain’s wildest decade – 30 years on brings together outfits worn by The Spice Girls, previously unseen Oasis memorabilia and personal archives from music producers and DJs including Paul Oakenfold, Dave Pearce and Judge Jules. The exhibition examines how music, fashion, sport and politics converged during a year many remember as the height of “Cool Britannia”.

The show has been devised and curated by former The Sun editor Dominic Mohan, who chronicled much of the period as a journalist. Reflecting on the project, he said 1996 was “the apex of the ‘90s and the year that I joined The Sun, when alternative and club culture collided, and Britain became the coolest place on the planet.”

“With a backstage pass in my pocket to some of the biggest events, 1996 was the wildest year of Britain’s wildest decade and I had a front row seat, chronicling it all as a journalist,” Mohan said.

He added: “I’ve hoped to capture that magical period when pop, rock, football, art, dance culture, food, the media and politics fused together spectacularly.”

The exhibition revisits a period when Oasis played Maine Road and Knebworth, The Spice Girls scored three number one singles including their debut Wannabe, and Pulp, Blur and Suede dominated the charts. The Sex Pistols reunited, and Jarvis Cocker’s stage interruption at the BRIT Awards became one of the most talked-about moments of the year.

Beyond music, Trainspotting brought Irvine Welsh’s novel to cinema audiences, while Young British Artists including Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst emerged as prominent figures in contemporary art. In football, Euro ’96 at Wembley Stadium placed England at the centre of the tournament as “Three Lions” echoed from terraces across the country.

Politically, 1996 marked the final months of John Major’s government and the approach of the 1997 General Election, which would usher in New Labour under Tony Blair.

Brendan Barns, Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, said the exhibition offers visitors a rare opportunity to see archive material up close.

“Few people are better qualified or well connected than Dominic Mohan to take us on this wild ride at Barbican Music Library,” he said.

“Whether visitors are drawn to the Oasis memorabilia or to Geri Halliwell’s Union Jack platform boots, this exhibition revisits a moment when Britain’s cultural influence was felt around the world.”

The Barbican Music Library forms part of the City of London Corporation’s wider cultural provision within the Square Mile, which includes the Barbican Centre, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Guildhall Art Gallery.

The exhibition is free to attend.

For more reporting on London’s exhibitions and cultural history, follow EyeOnLondon.

[Image Credit | © City of London Corporation]

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