David Bowie and Kirlian Photography

David Bowie and Kirlian Photography

On November 3rd 1975, David Bowie – in the final stages of recording his legendary album Station to Station – took possession of a strange Kirlian device. Bowie was at this time heavily into the occult; the artwork of Station to Station would feature an image of him sketching the Kabbalistic Tree of Life on the floor (I discussed Bowie’s esoteric interests in “Occult Rock: The Influence of Magick on Modern Music“), so this was no doubt a welcome gift.

David Bowie and Kirlian Photography

DAVID BOWIE USED KIRLIAN PHOTOGRAPHY TO CHECK HIS AURA BEFORE AND AFTER TAKING COCAINE

The Kirlian device, given to Bowie by Dr. Thelma Moss at the Dept. of Parapsychology at UCLA, was a Kirlian Photograph Machine. It was based on technology developed over the past 75 years by Czech and Russian researchers that had not become popular in the West until the 1970s: the creation of images by placing objects on sheet photographic film sitting atop a metal discharge plate. When a high voltage was quickly applied to the object, it would create an exposure on the film via electrical coronal discharge.

David Bowie and Kirlian Photography
David Bowie and Kirlian Photography, Kirlian Photographic Machine

David Bowie’s Kirlian Photography Machine
Source: DavidBowie.com

Many in the New Age community, especially those into alternative health and bio-energy fields, believed that Kirlian photography was imaging the ‘aura’ of objects, and might be useful for diagnosing illnesses or other pathologies of the body energy (and/or soul). And Bowie wasn’t the only rock icon to become enamoured with the technology: the cover of ex-Beatle George Harrison’s 1973 album Living in the Material World featured a Kirlian photograph of Harrison’s hand holding a Hindu medallion.

David Bowie’s Kirlian photography

Bowie’s interest in Kirlian photography seems to have persisted beyond the 1970s though – the image of his fingertip was reproduced in the album booklet for his 1997 album Earthling, and as the cover art for the single “Little Wonder“. And if you’d like to hear it from the proverbial horse’s mouth, he discussed it in this short video around the same time:

In 1975, Thelma Moss of UCLA’s parapsychology lab gifted David Bowie a Kirlian photography machine to capture images of peoples’ “auras.” This machine generates a high-voltage field to a photographic plate resulting in a glowing corona discharge image of whatever is positioned on the plate. The color, shape, and intensity of the image is affected by myriad factors, from humidity to how well the object is grounded to, or, in the case of people, the amount of oil and sweat on the skin. But of course Bowie was into the occult and other high weirdness so the possibility of photographing one’s “aura” appealed to him.

From the Daily Grail: David Bowie’s interest in Kirlian photography was evident: some of the photos that resulted from his experimentation with the technique were published in the program for his 1976 tour in support of Station to Station. And he used it to try and understand what was happening to his body when he took drugs: he compared two Kirlian photographs of his fingertip (beside a crucifix given to him by his father), one image taken before consuming cocaine, the other after.

Bowie liked the image so much that he used it in the booklet of Earthling (1997) and as the cover art for the “Little Wonder” single.

Little Wonder single
Little Wonder single
Little Wonder single
Little Wonder single

David Bowie and Kirlian Photography 

Little Wonder Lyrics

Stinky weather fat, shaky hands
Dopey morning doc, grumpy gnomes
Little wonder then, little wonder
You little wonder, little wonder you
Big screen dolls, and explosions
Sleepy time bashful but nude
Little wonder then, little wonder
You little wonder, little wonder you
Enter galactic see me to be you
It’s all in the tablets sneezy bhutan
Little wonder then, little wonder
You little wonder, little wonder you
Mars happy nation sit on my karma
Dame meditation take me away
Little wonder then, little wonder
You little wonder, little wonder you
Sending me, so far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
Little wonder, little wonder you
Little wonder, little wonder you
Sending me, so far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
Little wonder, little wonder you
Little wonder, little wonder you
You little wonder, little wonder you
Little wonder then, little wonder
You little wonder, little wonder you

Songwriters: David Bowie / Mark Plati / Reeves Gabrels
Little Wonder lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

David Bowie 1997 Birthday Concert MSG

https://youtu.be/NL6WbuzZj0E

David Bowie and Kirlian Photography

David Bowie and Kirlian Photography

DAVID BOWIE USED KIRLIAN PHOTOGRAPHY TO CHECK HIS AURA BEFORE AND AFTER TAKING COCAINE

KIRLIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AS ART AND SCIENCE

Kirlian and Kirlian Photography
Kirlian and Kirlian Photography

1 thought on “David Bowie and Kirlian Photography”

  1. Dear Sir, Madam
    Thank you for your e mail reply that lead to further searches linked leading me here.
    After my last reply, I’ve had further time to look at what you guys are doing and find myself even more intrigued and enlightened by what I am researching. This idea of aura and energy has become part of my every day thinking now and my interest grows everyday in your Bioelectrography Research projects and HRV testings and The Kirlian Photography Machine. My attention was peaked reading how your colleague, Thelma Moss gave David Bowie, who I’m a huge admirer of, a Kirlian Photography Device. I am a frequent user of small dose high grade Marijuana as I find it helps with various mental conditions I suffer and has huge benefits in the creative realm of my mind opening up an myriad of ideas and expressions I knew were always lingering but did not no how to express. I suffer from confidence issues and low self esteem and small doses pretty much daily now really help. I have found over the last 18 months or so since I started smoking my own strains that my energy has developed now into something for me personally that feels right and wonderous but I feel requires professional investigation. Being at a transitional period in my life, I feel it is the perfect time to be advised on the next step, as the universe is telling me there is one now but it’s quite a large step that I simply cannot step up alone, so I can perhaps, with a little help and guidance be lead to a metaphorical mystical door that I have the key for and with new found confidence and wisdom am ready to open but having trouble finding. As such I seek advise to find the truth behind this powerful energy I now feel not only when high but thankfully when low as well, so naturally bringing my mental capacity to a satisfactory equilibrium.
    Only with the help of Cannabis have I also happened upon a greater gift that is a higher power that I would like to one day expand my horizons on also, perhaps that may be of interest too ?
    So enough about me, Can you help please ?
    If I sound a solid case for investigation and could somehow be of service to you, perhaps we could help each other and I could arrange to come and meet with a professional to discuss further my situation, although I see it as unique and different one, be able find some clarity in discovering and uncovering further illuminations of energies that perhaps would help me not feel so different or indeed weirdly unique from the norm so I can grow in understanding this would then be a great a outcome and achievement for me personally. The thought now of doing this in a team environment also holds great appeal after reading the history of what you do and are striving to achieve.
    Thank you for your time in reading this, Seasons Greetings and look forward to your reply.
    Kind regards
    Andrew J Slattery

    Reply

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