His legacy continues to illuminate thanks to his impeccable discography, life's work and family. The Bob Marley One Love Experience presents us with the latest installment of Marley's creativity. Get ready to be immersed in the reggae artist's never-before-seen life. Through memorabilia, photographs and art, we are transported back to Jamaica to celebrate the reggae icon's life, love and music.
Hot off the heels of its London, UK, debut, the Bob Marley One Love Experience makes its North American tour debut in Toronto from July 1 through August 14. Produced by the Marley family and Terrapin Station Entertainment, the exhibit can be seen as another portal into Marley's life. I feel that we know so much of the artist, yet so little of the mystical man. However, as the daughter of Rita and Bob Marley and CEO of Bob Marley Group of Companies, Cedella Marley is always willing to take us down different avenues to show us more. "I'm always looking for ways to help spread daddy's message, you know? And this One Love experience is like the ultimate collaborative effort between Jonathan [Terrapin Station Entertainment] and us."
The exhibit was to initially be launched for Bob Marley's 75th birthday. However, due to the world imploding on many levels, it has now been unveiled and rescheduled to hit the road. The exhibit is broken down into six distinctive rooms, each sharing different aspects of Bob Marley's life—the Music Room, One Love Forest, Soul Shakedown Studio, Beautiful Life Zone, Concrete Jungle Street Art Expo and Next Gen Zone. From the One Love Forest to the Soul Shakedown Studio, there is something tucked away in the details for attendees to lose themselves in. Going through the exhibit in London, even Marley felt the same. "So, it was a lot. It was a lot to actually take in, even for myself. The room that really got me was the forest room. It's just full of greenery and some sensory vibes happening. Then when you look at all of the artists that donated their own Bob Marley art to the exhibition, that's really something in itself that special."
Speaking with the CEO, you can tell that she is excited about what the exhibit offers. Without giving away too much, let's just say that she's about ready to redecorate her house with a swing and a touch of lush forestry. But more than anything, she's enthusiastic about what the audience gets to experience. "I mean, from a design perspective, it's just seamless. The way it starts from the first floor to the second floor, to the third floor, you get into this whole concert vibe. Yeah, everything about it. You get to experience daddy in almost every aspect of his life—father, musician, son, and the sports fanatic too."
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No stranger to the city, Toronto is home away from home for The Marleys. Bob Marley loved the city, and some of their friends and family live here too. Needless to say, the family is ecstatic about bringing the exhibit to The 6ix. The Marley family has done a fantastic job of keeping Bob Marley's history and work alive over the years. But how do you keep it going for another generation of fans? Marley says, "Well, I mean, it's kind of easy because he puts in the work. And now all we gotta do is plug it in. We don't have to reinvent anything. You know, his words are his words, his music is his music. So all we have to do is make sure that it reaches the masses, and that's steadily what we have been doing. I think with the way technology is nowadays, ten years from now, I can just blink my eye, and Bob Marley's song will start to play. Like I Dream of Genie, you know? (laughs)"
There will be so much of the artists' life to see and learn at the Bob Marley One Love Experience. But, as per Cedella Marley's word, we may want to go in and go slow. Take every piece of it in. Immerse yourself in it. Take what you need to get from it, but what's going to be really special is how you leave the exhibit. "It's what you pick up. What little piece of Marley do you leave with? I think that's what's gonna be new and exciting—how it makes you feel."
The Bob Marley One Love Experience opens July 1 and runs until August 14 at Lighthouse ArtSpace.