A rare, intimate encounter captured between a music icon and artists in a psychiatric clinic — shown for the first time in WA.

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 Western 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. 

DeGrancy captured four rolls of film that day, revealing Bowie absorbed, humble and intent on listening, sketching, sharing coffee and engaging with artists’ stories. This rare, intimate perspective coincided with Bowie’s creative reconnection with Brian Eno, inspiring the iconic 1. Outside album (1995).  

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 exhibition transforms the gallery into a reflective space on creativity, mental health and the power of art to connect 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. 

Bonus family Sundays

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