The Independent from London, Greater London, England • 9

THE INDEPENDENT Wednesday 13 January 2016 lWednesday 13 January 2016 THE INDEPENDENTl A slot in Westminster Corner? Or a renamed theatre in Brixton? nick clark on what comes next calls for a memorial fit for a true rebel David Bowie: 1947-2016 Someone who turned down a knighthood probably want a statue While David Bowie kept the news of his liver cancer from even his closest friends, it appears his wife realised last week that he was entering the final days of his life. Fans have been struck by a series of images taken throughout the career that were posted online by Iman, the Somalian super- model who had been married to Bowie for 24 years, before his death on Monday. She started posting a series of iconic images of Bowie in some of his many guises on her Instagram feed six days ago, as well as his lyrics and other quotes, in what may have looked like a promotion for his new album but now seems more likely to have been a poignant tribute. Beginning with Bowie as Ziggy Stardust, in a book to promote an exhibition at the Taschen Gallery in Los Ange- les featuring the work of Mick Rock, official pho- tographer from 1972 to 1973, Iman then posted one of the last ever photos of Bowie, taken by long-time collabo- rator Jimmy King. Standing in front of a shop front with its shutters down, Bowie appears ecstatic, resplendent in dark suit and tie, with black hat and shoes, seemingly without socks.

The shoot was to support his latest album, Blackstar, released just three days before his death. Iman, 60, posted several more pictures on birthday followed by the Dr Seuss quote: you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a She has yet to release a state- ment following her death. The couple began dat- ing two weeks after meeting at a Los Angeles dinner party in 1990, and married in Tus- cany on 24 April 1992. They had one daughter, Alexandria Zahra, 15, known as Lexi. In a 2010 interview with Bazaar magazine the supermodel said she and her husband would never fight, and said she fancied him after all these She said she loved all of her songs, but her particular favourites were Heroes and Suffragette City, which she and her daughter would dance to.

While sharing wife shared series of poignant photos week before he died Paul gallagHEr La street artist Jules Muck paints a Bowie mural (above); fans pay tribute at his former Berlin residence (left); a memorial outside his new york home (below); Bowie Cds are sold in Tokyo (bottom) TED SPlaSH NEwS; EyEvINE; aP After impromptu shrines to David Bowie appeared on both sides of the Atlantic, fans have called for more perma- nent memorials to the legen- dary musician. Initial plans to honour him include renaming the historic bandstand in Beckenham, South London, where Bowie performed in 1969, a perma- nent memory of his Some devotees have called for streets and venues to be named after the musician, who will be given a tribute at next Brit Awards, after his death was confirmed on Monday morning at the age of 69 following an 18-month battle with cancer. Several have even suggested honouring him at Westminster Corner and a petition has been launched to put up a statue of the musician on the fourth plinth in Lon- Trafalgar Square. started the petition as there have been many sculp- tures on the fourth plinth that maybe touch people culturally in a way that David Bowie said Ronnie Joice, the man who set it up. hopeful it can happen.

If not the Fourth Plinth, then maybe Brixton would be The south London district, birthplace, falls within Lambeth, where the local council has called for fans to suggest appropriate memori- als. council would like to commemorate Bowie and welcomes it said in a statement, adding it would talk to the family an appropriate One council source said it could memorialise the artist in a range of ways, from its own version of the blue plaque outside the house where he was born, to a statue or even renaming a street after him. Bowie already features on the £10 note of the Brixton Pound, the cur- scheme, and a mural of him was painted there in 2013 inspired by the album cover of his 1973 album Aladdin Sane. Fans organised a street party in Brixton in his honour on Monday night. Chris Charlesworth, editor of Omnibus Press who knew Bowie during the 1970s and early 1980s, said: work will be his legacy.

Someone who turned down a knight- hood probably want a He continued: a venue or a theatre after him would get my vote. It would show a great deal of Liverpool named its airport after former Beatle John Len- non, but Mr Charlesworth said: do that with Bowie, he absolutely hated Bowie moved to Becken- ham in 1953 when he was six. Bromley Council is raising money to restore the nearby Croydon Road Recreation Ground bandstand, where Bowie played in 1969. Colin Smith, the deputy leader, said: believe it would be an extremely fitting tribute to rename the historic band- stand after Bowie as a perma- nent memorial of his The council will consult with the group Friends of Beck Rec, which is working on the restoration project, before taking a final decision. A tribute concert called The Music of David Bowie with Tony Visconti, long- time collaborator, had been announced just hours before his death in New Carn- egie Hall.

Following the news it was changed from a tribute to a memorial concert. photographs of their idol, fans and new- comers to his music have also pushed many of his albums up the charts. Spotify said that streams of his songs had increased by 2,000 per cent, and 14 Bowie albums and nine singles had entered the top 100 in the Official Albums Charts last night. His latest album Blackstar, released on his 69th birthday last Friday just two days before his death, was already heading for Number One before news of his death broke, the Offi- cial Charts company said in a statement. The album continues to lead the way with just under 90,000 combined sales by last night, despite having sold out in many CD shops on Mon- day, leaving them hurriedly ordering more copies.

a 5 ows i Channel 5 has been criticised after David former wife, angie, was shown on Celebrity big brother in tears after being told of his death off-screen. She was later shown in its diary room crying before be- ing comforted by housemates John Partridge and David gest. The footage was also used to trail the programme. The former model said: just feel like an era has ended with his passing. so very sad.

The Stardust is The Tv critic Ian Hyland said: believe C5 even C5 did a up tomorrow, David ex- wife weeps in the diary room at the news of his I just feel like an era has ended with his passing. so very sad News.