Amy Winehouse Exhibition: Should Her Music Be Admired Despite Her Addictions?

As one of the music industry’s best loved superstars, it’s almost inevitable that an intimate exhibition of Amy Winehouse opened on 3rd July 2013 at the Jewish Museum. It will run until 15th September and has been co-curated with Amy’s brother Alex and showcases the family life of the singer right in her hometown of Camden, North London. Aptly named ‘Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait’, the exhibition plays host to unprecedented items from her life, from family photographs to clothing and will display her passion for London, fashion and Sudoku.

Angel or Addict?

Yet the real question is whether Amy Winehouse’s singing skills should be celebrated above her drink and drug-infested lifestyle. No matter who you are, whether you’re a billionaire pop-sensation or a skint supermarket worker, the demons of drink and drugs affect more people than you might think. According to the NHS, over 27% per cent of men drink over the recommended alcoholic units each day (3-4 for men and 2-3 for women). Unfortunately 14% of the British female population also consume more liquor than their recommended maximum of 3 (2 small glasses of wine).

Drugs, Drink & Duty

If alcohol was discovered now, it would be labelled a Class A drug. But it has become a social instrument and many perceive it as a harmless part of daily life, with 40 million of us Brits considering ourselves ‘social drinkers.’ A whopping 200,000Britons are alcohol dependant, although it’s unknown how accurate these figures actually are due to the stigma attached to addiction and the shame it produces.

Yet ‘Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait’ aims to detach the singer from the hype and headlines surrounding her success and convey Amy as an average young woman with a sensational voice. It also seemingly detaches her from the fact that she died at just 27 (coincidentally the same age as Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix and Rolling Stone Brian Jones) due to a drink and drug overdose on 23rd July 2011. Speaking to the LA Times, her brother Alex said, “Amy was someone who was incredibly proud of her Jewish London roots…I hope, in this most fitting of places ,that the world gets to see this other side, not just to Amy, but to our typical Jewish family.”

Medicated Music

Winehouse’s addictions were a part of her true self and should not be rejoiced in any way whatsoever, but should also not be ignored for the sake of a fake, squeaky-clean image. Because Amy was far from that. Arguably, her rise to fame was partly thanks to her addiction struggles. Much of modern music is so appealing because the composer or artist were enjoying a sense of drug-induced bliss. From members of the Rolling Stones to Suede, The Who, Sex Pistols, Def Leppard, Slipknot and Take That, countless music industry favourites have struggled with addiction for years. So much so that it became an essential component of their life and music.

Cobaine

Take Grunge legend and Nirvana vocalist Kurt Cobain, who died in April 1994. He was found with a suicide note, a shotgun across his body and visual head-injuries, but was also checked into a Drug Rehabilitation facility previously and reported as severely suicidal by his wife Courtney Love. Perhaps, like Amy Winehouse, his demons and various dangerous dependencies were both his greatest strength and greatest weakness.

Although his anxieties took his life, they also helped Cobain create innovative, music, which was likely to be enhanced by his drug taking. The same can be said for Amy Winehouse, whose quirky musical style and fashion flair were heightened by her unsteady posture, warbling tones and heart-rending lyrics. So the question is, would her music have been as successful if her addictions never existed?

Addiction & Anxiety

Winehouse was found with 416mg of alcohol per decilitre in her blood, which was enough to make her fragile frame shut down. She was found dead by paramedics in her Camden flat with her laptop still on and several bottles of vodka on the floor. Her GP Dr Christina Romete, who described the singer as “single-minded and intelligent”, said Winehouse had “been battling her alcohol addiction but had repeatedly refused psychiatric help because she thought it would affect her creativity and had repeatedly lapsed into drinking binges following dry periods.”

Mitch Winehouse, Amy’s father set up the Amy Winehouse Foundation on 14th September 2011 (which would have been Amy’s 28th birthday) to prevent the effects of drugs and alcohol on young people. The non-profit organisation also aims “support, inform and inspire vulnerable and disadvantaged young people to help them reach their full potential.”

Funnily enough, the ‘Back to Black’ singer had put her drug and drink habits behind her and enjoyed a holiday in St. Lucia just prior to her passing. She also endured anxiety and mental health issues and Dr. Romete said in an official statement that she was not concerned about a risk of suicide for her patient. She (Amy) specifically said she “did not want to die.”. Amy’s day-to-day dilemmas and eventual death have been seemingly whitewashed to paint her in an unrealistic, angelic light that never existed when she was alive. The fact is alcohol is a sole component of between 20 and 30% of accidents in the UK and her death could be utilised to stress the threats drink and drugs impose.

Play the Fame Game

According to The Guardian, the most popular illegal substance consumed in England and Wales in 2011/2012 was powdered Cocaine and over 12million people have tried an illegal drug. And drug consumption is still on the rise. In 2008, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,738 people died drugs-related deaths, 374 of which were women. Accidental overdose was the principal cause of death, account for 763 of the cases. It’s simply a shame that Winehouse’s lifestyle choices are not utilised as more of an example to prevent addiction occurring in the first place or encouraging those struggling with habits to gain professional help.

Happier Times: Winehouse and her father Mitch

Celebrity status should be used for good. Just as Jade Goody’s 2009 death by cervical cancer has boosted campaigns for smear tests to be provided for women younger than 25. Her death also highlighted the necessity for the tests and consequentially increased the amount of women undergoing them by 12% in 2009.

However tragic Amy Winehouse’s death is, her true self should be illustrated in ‘Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait’ to make her legacy as influential as possible. She was an immensely talented vocalist and songwriter who possessed a rare ability to tell a tragic story in a relatable way through her lyrics. She should be admired for her effect on the music industry and unique style. But her alcohol and drug dependencies should not be disregarded. She was an astounding musical talent who has inspired young musicians the world over, but her drug lifestyle should also inspire those experiencing it to seek support.

The best way to make sure Amy did not pass away in vain is to highlight the threat of addiction in our society and make sure young people have the facts they need to make the right choices. Both Amy’s musical talent and addiction demons should be underlined to paint an honest picture of a young, beautiful and talented Jewish girl.