Star Wars: Identities is an exhibition that is in Australia for the first time at the Powerhouse Museum. By the end, you get to see who you would be if you were a character in Star Wars, through interactive displays and the ability to create a Star Wars hero.
Before you enter, you are given a wristband. This becomes the key to creating your own character as you move through the exhibition. It’s separated into sections, all covering one element of the ‘identity’ – home, upbringing, genetics etc. Each features displays of original movie artefacts from the studio, videos to listen to with an earpiece, and an area to select traits for your character with your wristband.
What I loved most about the exhibition was its unique premise. The theme of forging your own identity was sustained throughout. Informative videos and displays explained how things around us affect the person we become, and related it to the Star Wars characters and the events in the films. It was really well done and gave me a different point of view on the movies and characters in general. Surprisingly, but impressively, they explored what makes us human. With every section of the exhibition, it was outlined why each creative decision was made for each character and what it meant to their personality & actions, supported through the curated pieces. I found the Identity theme also was an interesting way of presenting behind the scenes material, such as original concept art, storyboards, props and original costumes worn by the actors. There was definitely no shortage of curated artefacts and costumes, and they were all fabulous.
Then there was the creation of the identity. You are given more or less full control of the character, from gender to species to whether they join the dark side or not. There are a pretty satisfactory number of choices that impact your final identity in different ways. In saying that, it is still pretty formulaic. Even so, I enjoyed the ability to create a character that reflected myself in some ways. The possibility to include qualities you wish you had, or to see yourself as a wookie is quite exciting. Being able to see a final character is pretty rewarding.
I really enjoyed the Star Wars: Identities experience. The whole exhibition was a good length, with impressive displays and an easy to follow layout that is good for all ages. Star Wars: Identities is an exhibition interesting to the casual Star Wars fan as well as the hardcore one. You can get a lot out of it. It is especially valuable for those who are interested in filmmaking and the pre-production process of big films.
MAAS
On until 10 June 2019.