Of course it is not finished installations always takes longer than you hope which is why there is a day ‘in hand’ but it has been a busy day. Labels had to mounted for all objects, mirrors to be installed to enliven cases, contextual images added to the props store, barriers placed to project objects including the cloths and sound levels to be balanced. Meanwhile there are journalists to show round and questions to be answered.In fact it is the start of the more promotional phase. Its clear that the journalists seenmexcited but their ‘oos’ and ‘ahs’ and expletives as they look at Nijinsky’s costumes, the stage cloths for The Firebird and Le Train bleu and the Chinese Conjuror’s costume by Picasso surprised me.
The costume for the Chinese Conjuror from Parade
We are getting used to the statistics 300 objects in the exhibition of which 200 are from the V&A’s collections. 71 theatre costumes, of which 65 are from the V&A. 9 couture ensembles of which only 1 is from the V&A.