PUNK WEEK – THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF SHELIA ROCK
In anticipation for the new Danny Boyle TV show, ‘Pistol’, we’ve been looking back through some of our favourite punk pieces in the showroom, along with archival images from the British punk scene of the late 70s and early 80s. As it would be too difficult to chose a favourite image or garment, we’re going to dedicate a whole week to a punk takeover on our social media.
We’re setting the tone of the week with the photography of Shelia Rock. Rock is an American photographer who moved to London in the late 70s, was a frequent contributor to The Face magazine, and early photographer to the Punk scene. She never set out to be a photographer, but began capturing this burgeoning culture down Kings Road with a camera she inherited, and with this she was thrown into what she describes as a “mad, glamorous and colourful world”. At the time, Rock did not identify as a punk, saying she was too middle-class, but perhaps this outsiders perspective was precisely what was needed to capture the anarchic lifestyle.
Jordan outside of SEX, 1977 – Shelia Rock
SEX, a McLaren / Westwood venture, dressed the young punks of Kings Road, and Jordan, who worked in the shop at the time, was described as a walking advertisement for the store. We love the moment Rock has captured here, as the flared man stares at the posing Jordan, demonstrating the publics disdain towards the ever-growing, young punk population.
Some shoppers inside BOY, on Kings Road.
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Employees at BOY
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Inside The Roxy, Covent Garden
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Chrissie Hynde and Steve Strange, making up Moors Murderers, 1977
In the spirit of Punk, Strange and Hydne’s short-lived band caused massive offensive after naming themselves after the notorious Moors Murderers.
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The Clash in their early days, 1976
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John Lydon in his flat, just after the Sex Pistols split and formation of Public Image Ltd, 1978.
The Sex Pistols are the centre of the new show, following the turbulent relationship of the band and their manager, Malcom McLaren, as told by Steve Jones’ memoirs.
Look out for our next instalment of our Punk takeover!
Image sources: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2020/apr/08/sheila-rock-punk-the-clash-siouxsie-sioux-pictures-gallery , https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2013/apr/27/punk-photographs-sheila-rock-pictures
Other sources: https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/chelsea-college-of-arts/stories/interview-with-photographer-sheila-rock-from-punk-to-the-english-sea , https://www.showstudio.com/projects/punk_photography/interview-sheila-rock-sex