Queerguru previews THE HOLLY JOHNSON STORY a new Exhibit at the Museum of LIverpool that explores the life of the iconic queer singer

The iconic queer singer Holly Johnson who will inevitably always be remembered for his classic hit Relax (that the BBC banned for its suggestive lyrics) is having another well deserved moment in the sun, thanks to the Museum of Liverpool. Last September they opened a very wonderful comprehensive exhibit The Holly Johnson Story explores the incredible life of the local-born singer  and his meteoric rise to fame.

In the 1980’s to the mid 1990’s Johnson’s music not only filled the charts and won him legions of fans, but within the LGBTQ+ community he was strongly admired for being one of the first openly gay and openly HIV+ high profile artists in history.  The histrionics that accompanied the AIDS pandemic at that time gave birth to so many demons destroying homes and lives, so Johnson’s courage resounded so well with his queer fans and beyond.

Its a tad difficult to comprehend that the opening of this exhibition also marks the 40th anniversary release of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s album Welcome to the Pleasuredome featuring Relax, Two Tribes and The Power of Love..  To many of us (of a certain age) it seems like just yesterday .

There are some unique pieces featured in the exhibition that you should definity out for. They include iconic costumes by Leigh Bowery and Vivienne Westwood, Frankie Goes to Hollywood memorabilia, personal audio accounts of people living with HIV in Liverpool, produced in collaboration with Sahir House, and paintings by Johnson himself.

Johnson partnered with two local arts organizations Homotopia and DuoVision in collaboration to deliver this remarkable landmark exhibition that will take visitors on a journey through his outstanding career, from his early years in Liverpool to international stardom.

We love the quote that Johnson  said about the Exhibit : “The opportunity to mount this exhibition is actually like winning the National Lottery for me. As a teenager Music and Art was my passion, reading Jean Genet, and William Burroughs and listening to the music of The Beatles, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, and The Velvet Underground: seeing the films of Derek Jarman and Andy Warhol along with his supercharged color paintings. Pondering over Peter Blake’s Sgt. As a child, Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band artwork led me to Hollywood and back again. Everything I was ever drawn to, through a lens of Queerness and controversy I brought with me into the future we live in now.”

The Holly Johnson Story

14 Sep 2024—27 Jul 2025

The exhibition celebrates Holly Johnson’s creative genius, charting his personal life and extraordinary music career over five decades.

Museum of Liverpool

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