Solyanka VPA, 11 October 2012 – 20 November, 2012

We created this exhibition with a two-fold purpose: the 50th anniversary of the release on screen of the first film about the adventures of the most suave spy of all time, as well as the forthcoming premiere on 26 October, of the 23rd Bond film, Skyfall. The name is Bond, James Bond. Retired Royal Navy Commander, and current secret agent On Her Majesty’s Service, licensed to kill, with the number 007. Here was the darkened lair of Colonel-General Grubozaboyshikov, head of SMERSH (you can read about him in that most well-known of all Fleming’s books, “From Russia with Love”); this was a Soviet bunker straight out of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War. In the Chocolate space there are spy accessories spanning the whole Bond legend. In the Made for Gentlemen corner the viewer found the attributes of this quintessential gentleman: three suits by Brioni which appeared in the Bond films; hats, shoes and a golden gun. And, of course, the girls: one whole wall of the gallery was given over to the girls who won Bond’s heart; on the other, vintage portraits of all the 007 stars; glossy photos taken by the legendary photographer Terry O’Neill, who has dedicated half a century of his life to Bondiana. The museum was showing the first screening of a documentary about the filming of the last part of Quantum of Solace. In addition, BOND by GQ was showing a unique collection of the titles to twenty-two of the Bond films.