The Clash (Copyright: Chalkie Davies)
As perhaps the definitive exhibition of punk and new wave photos heads to Liverpool, Getintothis‘ Banjo looks forward to images of one of music’s most rebellious and stylish movements
The punk movement of the late 70s has come to mean a lot of things to a lot of people.
It was a musical movement, creating new bands by the hundreds, it was a cultural shift as boundaries were pushed as never before and it was a politically aware movement. Crucially, it was also a very visually arresting era.
The punk bands and followers had a very striking look, particularly when you consider that the 70s was quite a conservative time. Punks were an explosion of coloured, spiked hair, ripped clothes and offensive t-shirts. Such was the reaction at the time that questions were asked in the House of Parliament about this worrying new craze.
And all this when merely not wearing flares could get you beaten in the streets.
The bands themselves had a well defined visual identity. The Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Jam, three of the early big hitters, had their look developed and thought out.
Blondie (credits: artist’s Facebook)
Debbie Harry became the new wave kids sweetheart while Poly Styrene, of X-Ray Spex, provided a wonderful alternative to traditional notions of beauty. The common thread connecting them is a great sense of style and a photogenicity that shines through in their photos.
Chalkie Davies Interview – Becoming an icon of music photography
To celebrate this, Punk photographers Chalkie Davies and Denis O’Regan have put together the UK’s largest punk & new wave photographic exhibition, which comes to Liverpool on February 22 2018. Unusually, the venues for this touring exhibition are BMW/Mini showrooms, which will be transformed into art galleries each evening.
These one-night-only events, with either O’Regan or Davies in attendance for Q&A sessions, will take visitors back to arguably the most rebellious period ever seen in the music business.
Featuring photographs capturing over 40 raucous live performances and off-stage moments, along with a glimpse into the austere times that gave birth to punk and new wave, the exhibition captures the madness and mayhem of life in the late 70s punk world.
The exhibition runs from 7:30pm to 9pm for standard admission tickets. VIP ticket holders can attend a question and answer session and private viewing prior to the main admission.
The Art of Punk and New Wave Exhibition will be held at Williams Mini at Great Howard Street on February 22 2018
The Art of Punk Exhibition
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