We meet the curator behind a new photography exhibition in London celebrating 40 years of punk in Britain.
Four decades ago, London was turned on its head by the arrival of punk youth culture. This summer, London’s Michael Hoppen Gallery celebrates the anniversary with ‘PUNK’ — an exhibition of vintage prints that document the rise of the influential subculture. The photographs on show depict the disillusioned youth that rebelled against the ‘system’, challenged the status quo, and expressed their dissatisfaction by means of the clothes they wore and the music they listened to. With the impetus of designers like Vivienne Westwood (captured with Johnny Rotten in one of the photos on display), and bands such as The Clash and The Sex Pistols, punk spread across the English capital and was in full swing by 1976. Located on Kings Road, the Michael Hoppen Gallery brings it back to Chelsea, where it all started.