Spotify has immortalised lead singer Florence Welch as an 1800s-style tapestry.
The streaming platform is marking the release of Florence + The Machine’s fifth studio album, Dance Fever.
The tapestry, believed to be the world’s first tapestry ‘billboard’, will be exhibited at Dulwich Picture Gallery for the next seven days, to coincide with its major new exhibition, Reframed: The Woman in the Window.
Commissioned to celebrate Dance Fever, the band’s first album in four years, the hand-woven tapestry illustrates the lyrical inspiration Florence Welch found in Pre-Raphaelite art when penning the album during lockdown in London.
“Recorded in anticipation of the world’s reopening from lockdown, Dance Fever reflects the aspects of life Florence missed most in the midst of lockdown, from clubs to dancing at festivals, and expression of creativity through art and movement,” said a statement.
Speaking about the tapestry’s unveiling, Florence Welch said: “Pre-Raphaelite art has been a musical and artistic inspiration of mine for years, brought to life most recently through the lyrics and album creative in Dance Fever. To be transported back to my favourite era and re-imagined in the style of the leading women who inspired Rossetti and Hunt is a dream I never imagined, on top of being hung in one of my most loved galleries in my hometown of South London.”
Safiya Lambie-Knight, head of music, Spotify UK and Ireland, added: “Florence’s passion for the Pre-Raphaelite era is reflected in the ethereal album artwork for Dance Fever, along with her dream-like, poetic lyrics. Working closely with artists to bring their passions to life, we’re incredibly excited to immortalise Florence as an 19th century tapestry as she celebrates five albums and over 3.7 billion global Spotify streams.
“Further to the Dance Fever Tapestries, we’ve collaborated with Florence on an album experience on the app, giving fans exclusive content from Florence about her creative process and inspiration. Spotify’s enhanced formats allow fans to connect with artists in a deeper, more engaging way, and give artists a way to immerse fans in the inspiration, stories, and creativity behind their art.”
The three individual two by two metre woven tapestries will hang in the gardens of Dulwich Picture Gallery, where Florence performed in 2017.
The Dance Fever Tapestries are open to the public from Friday, May 13 to Friday, May 20, 2022 at no charge. The public will be encouraged to scan a QR code taking them to Spotify to enjoy the Dance Fever Album Experience exclusive to the music streaming platform.
Jennifer Scott, director at Dulwich Picture Gallery, said: “The Dance Fever Tapestries featuring Florence are a perfect complement to our latest exhibition Reframed: The Woman in the Window, which explores the recurring motif of ‘the woman in the window’ through history with over 50 works by artists including Rembrandt van Rijn, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Louise Bourgeois, Kudzanai-Violet Hwami and Rachel Whiteread. Florence herself is a modern-day representation of Pre-Raphaelite muses like Sir John Everett Millais’s Ophelia. Five years on from her exclusive concert here in 2017, we are thrilled to have the tapestries hanging in our gardens.”
The Dance Fever Tapestries are available to view at Dulwich Picture Gallery: Monday to Saturday, 8am–6pm and Sunday 9am–6pm.
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