Christine de Grancy’s ‘A Day with David’
EVENT NOW OVER
What happens when one of the world’s most iconic artists steps away from the spotlight to spend a quiet day with outsider artists in a psychiatric clinic? Photographer Christine de Grancy was there to capture it – and now, for the first time in Australia, we’re bringing these extraordinary images to Joondalup.
On 8 September 1994, David Bowie – accompanied by Brian Eno, André Heller and photographer Christine de Grancy – entered the grounds of the Gugging Psychiatric Clinic near Vienna. This wasn’t a casual photo opportunity. Bowie’s own family history included his half-brother Terry Burns, whose schizophrenia and tragic suicide haunted Bowie’s life and work. At Gugging, he encountered something profound: a community of Art Brut creators, patients who had become internationally recognised artists, including Oswald Tschirtner, Johann Hauser, Johann Garber and August Walla.
De Grancy, invited specifically for her quiet and empathetic approach, captured four rolls of film that day. Her images reveal Bowie as you’ve never seen him – crouching to examine August Walla’s painted garden house, listening intently to artists’ stories, sketching in a notebook, sharing coffee at the House of Artists. He rarely looks at the camera. Instead, he appears absorbed, serious, humble. As de Grancy described: “He behaved not like a global icon, but like an ordinary man intent on listening.”
This visit coincided with Bowie’s creative reconnection with Brian Eno and profoundly influenced his album 1. Outside (1995). Immersed in Gugging’s raw authenticity, he found inspiration for the album’s conceptual framework blurring art, music and performance. Thirty years later, these photographs stand as both cultural history and intimate artistic encounter – a rare glimpse into Bowie’s search for meaning, authenticity and connection beyond the stage.
Presented in collaboration with Santa Monica Art Museum, this major exhibition transforms the Joondalup Contemporary Art Gallery into a space of reflection on creativity, mental health, authenticity and the power of art to bridge worlds. Whether you’re a lifelong Bowie devotee or simply curious about the man behind the legend, this exhibition offers an unprecedented window into a transformative moment in music history.
Sessions & Times
There are no upcoming events for this program.
Extra things to know
Christine de Grancy is a photographer renowned for her intimate, empathetic approach to portraiture. Her work focuses on capturing authentic moments rather than posed imagery, which led to her invitation by André Heller to document Bowie’s 1994 visit to Gugging. Her photographs from that day represent one of the most intimate and unguarded records of David Bowie in existence, revealing an artist genuinely engaged with the work and lives of the Gugging community.
‘A Day with David’ presents de Grancy’s complete photographic record of that transformative day, offering insights into Bowie’s creative process and his deep interest in outsider art and authenticity.
Joondalup Contemporary Art Gallery is located next to Joondalup Library and the Civic Chamber on Boas Avenue, Joondalup – easily accessible from the Joondalup Train Station (approximately 5-minute walk).
Free parking is available outside the gallery, in the surrounding streets and nearby public car parks, including on Boas Avenue and Grand Boulevard.
Multiple bus routes service the Joondalup CBD, including Joondalup free CAT services.
The gallery is fully wheelchair accessible with wide doorways, level floors and accessible amenities including accessible toilets. This is a highly visual exhibition presented in a climate-controlled indoor environment perfect for detailed photograph viewing.
Benches are provided throughout the gallery for comfortable, contemplative viewing. The quiet gallery environment is ideal for reflection and connection with the photos.
STROBE WARNING: Please note that the exhibition includes an installation of TV sets that produce a flashing ‘static’ effect. People with photosensitive epilepsy or light sensitivity are advised to speak to staff on arrival so the installation can be temporarily turned off.
Every Sunday during Joondalup Festival (8 March, 15 March and 22 March) we’re hosting FREE drop-in arts and crafts activities for kids, including:
- Ziggy Stardust facepainting
- Design your own album cover
- Design your own pop star cape
- Make your own button badge
This exhibition explores themes of creativity, mental health, outsider art, authenticity and the intersection of mainstream and Art Brut culture. Some visitors may find the subject matter personally resonant, particularly regarding mental health and psychiatric care histories.
David Bowie fans, photography enthusiasts, music historians, art lovers, mental health advocates, educators, students, anyone interested in the creative process and authentic human connection.
Presented in collaboration with Santa Monica Art Museum.
Program details
7 March 2026 - 4 April 2026
Free
All ages