Featuring recordings of the jazz artist's most iconic pieces; film and documentary performance clips; paintings and drawings by Miles Davis; photographs by Annie Leibovitz and Irving Penn; costumes, archival documents, musical instruments and scores lent by the Davis family, the exhibition explores some of the greatest highlights of Davis life and career including his memorable concerts at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The influence of Davis and his music on contemporary artists will also be explored through paintings on view by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mati Klarwein, and Niki de Saint-Phalle, among others.
Developed by the Cite de la Musique, Paris, We Want Miles is organized in collaboration with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and its installation in Montreal will be entirely designed around Davis' music and the visitor's listening experience. This initial venture into the realm of jazz continues the Museum's exploration of links between the visual arts and music launched with Warhol Live and Imagine: The Peace Ballad of John & Yoko.