Dimbola’s summer show is a celebration of 21 years of the Isle of Wight Festival since it was relaunched in 2002 - and it is open from today (Saturday).
It is the first retrospective exhibition of the Isle of Wight Festival that has featured artists such as David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Pink, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney, Blondie and more.
Experience – the Isle of Wight Festival 2002 to 2023 features photographs from all years of the festival, along with atmospheric crowd shots.
The gallery hosted an open evening for guests and those involved in pulling together the exhibition, yesterday (Friday).
Festival boss John Giddings, Dimbola chair Brian Hinton, and Ray Foulk, who with his brothers lured Bob Dylan over to the Isle of Wight Festival in 1969, were all in attendance.
The exhibition and launch evening were organised by Jo Macaulay.
John Giddings and Brian Hinton had loaned their own photographs, footage and extensive archives of festival treasures.
John told the County Press the exhibition was incredible.
"It brings back memories of the last 20 years of something I didn't think would become what it is today. The festival has taken over my life and become an obsession."
Of the exhibition, he said he loved the artwork, the posters, the most. As an "old hippy" (his words) he was inspired by the 1960s to help create the look.
The exhibition is sponsored by Solo, Barclaycard, The Daisie Rich Trust, The Price is Wight, Wightlink, Briddlesford Farm, The Isle of Wight County Press, Signpost Express, Isle of Wight Distillery, Goddards Brewery and Wight Karting.
“If you had told me in 2002 that we would still be doing it in 21 years, I would have laughed...” said John Giddings.
“We managed to lose a million pounds in the first two years but broke even with The Who and David Bowie in 2004.
"Thankfully it has gone from strength-to-strength year after year and is now one of the top five UK festivals.
“I would never have done it if I hadn’t been there in 1970 - it was the Woodstock of Europe, bringing the Island to a standstill with 600,000 people watching Jimi Hendrix, and then getting banned for 32 years.
"Looking back on it, I think I had blind faith. People were talking behind my back asking how can you have a festival on an Island you can only get to by boat.
"I believed that was one of the attractions. It is like going on holiday and has the most sunshine in the UK.“
This year, entertainer Robbie Williams will close the main stage on Sunday, The Chemical Brothers and George Ezra are headlining Saturday and Pulp on Friday.
The exhibition at Dimbola will run until September 17.
Limited edition prints and other merchandise are available to purchase online and in the museum shop.
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