Enthusiasm level: High
Progress: Becoming a reality
Quote: “My Granny has got one of those”

The flat clear of office furniture back in 2010

The flat clear of office furniture back in 2010

Amazingly discussions have already begun about what we will need for the flat itself even though it will not be fitted out until well into Summer 2015. However to avoid a last minute shopping crisis the exhibition designers have suggested that we create a list of required items for the flat by July 2014. This ignited an animated and enjoyable dicussion about the kind of things we would need.

As part of the project we are creating two dedicated museum spaces for a permanent Hendrix exhibition. This will include interpretive material, didactic information and a number of items on loan from EMP in secure displays (see post 10). There will then be Jimi’s recreated bedroom itself which I imagine will be the focal point of the visit. The room will be as faithfully recreated as possible using many of photographs and video footage of the room as source material. It won’t be practical to put actual original Hendrix belongings in the room. But of course many people still have and even use items from the period and reviewing some of the photos jogged memories and a slew of suggested gifts in kind. Dug (exhibition design team) said that he had a very similar persian type rug, Piers (architect team) said his Mum and Dad had a ceramic door handle and finger plate like the one in the bedroom and Mel (exhibition design team) thought her Granny had an electric fire just like Hendrix’s! This on top of the generosity of people like the asbestos engineer (see post 7) is great news. Although I do hope everyone checks with the various owners before donating them. I have visions of unsuspecting friends and relations being left uncomfortable, cold  and trapped in their own front room unable to open the door.