Artwork
Diamond Dancing Doll II
Diamond Dancing Doll II is a print by Hormazd Narielwalla. It dates from 2021 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Diamond Dancing Doll II is a double‑layered lithograph that presents a stylized portrait of David Bowie. The work forms part of a pair, following Diamond Dancing Doll I, and utilizes a repeated visual template of Bowie’s iconic Ziggy Stardust visage combined with a dancing figure, both rendered in elaborate, decorative costume.
Subject & Meaning
The piece investigates themes of adornment, identity and transformation, reflecting Bowie’s fascination with the tension between artifice and authenticity. By depicting the singer in shifting, gender‑fluid attire, the artwork comments on his practice of adopting multiple personas through dress, makeup and performance.
Technique & Style
Created through a lithographic process, the print employs two superimposed layers that enhance depth and texture. The intricate detailing of the costumes draws on ornamental motifs, while the composition’s cipher‑like quality references theatrical traditions such as Japanese kabuki and the onnagata practice of male actors portraying female roles.
Context
The work derives from a series of collage images by artist Narielwalla, whose signature style merges photographic elements with decorative embellishment. Bowie's own engagement with gender‑fluid performance traditions informs the visual language, linking the print to broader discussions of identity and sexuality in contemporary art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hormazd Narielwalla makes bold, colorful prints that layer sharp shapes and playful patterns.
