MoCA Announces "Punk is Coming; Punk-era Artists Join Together for Diverse Spring Exhibition

“Untitled.” Tony Hope. Acrylic, spray foam, resin on wood panel. 28.5 x 18 x 1.5 in. Courtesy von ammon co.

MoCA [Museum of Contemporary Art] Westport announces the opening of Punk is Coming, a diverse group exhibition featuring over 50 photographers, filmmakers and artists whose work defined the punk era in the 1970’s in New York City, London, Los Angeles and other cities around the world. 

The exhibition includes rare, never-before-seen videos and photographs, as well as artworks created by the punk era’s musicians and contemporary works heavily influenced by the movement.

Punk is Coming will be on view at MoCA Westport from March 26 – June 5, 2022. 

An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2022 from 6 – 8 p.m. at MoCA Westport. The reception is open to the public.

Punk is Coming is co-curated by Marian Schwindeman, Roberta Bayley, Liz Leggett (MoCA Westport Director of Exhibitions) and Ruth Mannes (Executive Director of MoCA Westport).

"To me, punk rock is the freedom to create, freedom to be successful, freedom to not be successful, freedom to be who you are." – Patti Smith

The exhibition features many world premieres including a film by Lynette Bean Kral of the Patti Smith Group and vintage footage by Merrill Aldighieri. Also featured is the original edit of the film The Blank Generation by Ivan Kral. The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation has generously provided the original edit of the short film Still Moving starring Patti Smith and directed by Robert Mapplethorpe. 

Many of the iconic images and photographs and films in the exhibition were created by women from behind the scenes, including works from Roberta Bayley, Pat Ivers and Emily Armstrong, Sheila Rock, Merrill Aldighieri, and Ebet Roberts. 

Visitors will also go backstage at CBGB, the undisputed birthplace of punk in NYC, through original photographs and videos of the club. Punk is Coming also includes the premiere of a film of New Order's first live performance. Art from David Johansen, Dee Dee Ramone, Patti Smith, and John (Rotten) Lyndon will also be on display.  

“Patti Smith and Fred Sonic Smith.” Sue Rynski. Gelatin silver photograph. 30 x 40 cm. 1980.

Since its rebellious inception in the 1970s, punk has always exhibited very intense forms of expression.

“As a cultural movement, punk is driven by a refusal to sell out, a desire to do it yourself, and counter-culture angst. Punk is about experimentation, individual liberty, and a rebellious spirit,” stated Ruth Mannes, Executive Director of MoCA Westport.

"It all went too far too fast.........but the truth is Punk kicked up a lot of dust and it still sparkles." - Phil Strongman, author of Pretty Vacant

Punk is Coming also showcases contemporary art influenced by the punk era by Helmut Lang, Richard Prince, Alex Bag, Penny Slinger, Linder Sterling, Tony Hope, and more.

Click here to expand announcement 

"For me, punk is about real feelings. It's not about, 'Yeah, I am a punk and I'm angry.' That's a lot of crap. It's about loving the things that really matter...passion, heart, soul."  – Joey Ramone

MoCA Westport is grateful to numerous artists, musicians and galleries for contributing to this exhibition, including Marian Schwindeman, Roberta Bayley, Jane Freidman and HOWL Gallery, and Sebastian Aldrete and TMPG/The Music Photo Gallery. 

The Museum thanks Wealthspire Advisors, Girlfriend Fund and R13 for their generous support of Punk is Coming. 

For more information, please visit mocawestport.org or contact Liz Leggett, Director of Exhibitions. MoCA Westport’s hours are Wed 12 - 4PM | Thursday 12 – 7 PM | Friday – Sunday 12 - 4 PM. MoCA Westport is located at 19 Newtown Turnpike in Westport, Connecticut. 

Featured Artists in Punk is Coming

Merrill Aldighieri, Amy Arbus, Pat Ivers + Emily Armstrong, William Badgley, Alex Bag, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Roberta Bayley, Janette Beckman, Celeste Bell, Richard Butler, Beth Collar, Jayne County, Jim Fields, Jill Furmanovsky, Danny Garcia, Richard Hambleton, Duncan Hannah, Tony Hope, David Johansen, Kevin Kerslake, Cindy Hudson Kral, Lynette Bean Kral, Ivan Kral, Helmut Lang, Jenny Lens, Linder, Judy Linn, John Lydon, Robert Mapplethorpe, Hans Neleman, Fabrika Ouch, Lisa Jane Persky, Jamie Reid, Thebe Phetogo, Eileen Polk, Richard Prince, Dee Dee Ramone, Ruby Ray, Marcia Resnick, Ebet Roberts, Sheila Rock, Sue Rynski, Donna Santisi, Marian Schwindeman, Steven Sebring, Kate Simon, Penny Slinger, Patti Smith, Paul Sng, Julien Temple, Gail Thacker, Arturo Vega, and Sally Webster.

Supporting Programming For Punk is Coming

The Thursday evening events are part of MoCA Westport’s Cocktails and Conversation free event series; advance registration required on mocawestport.org.

Thursday, April 7th, 2022, 6 - 7 PM

Speaker: Merrill Aldighieri, Punk is Coming artist

Engage with Aldighieri, considered the original video jockey, and see her rare and some never-before-seen videos of the era. 

Saturday, April 16, 2022, 7 PM

Concert by The Figgs

The popular rock band will return to MoCA Westport for an encore performance in the gallery. Tickets available for purchase on mocawestport.org. 

Thursday, April 21, 2022, 6 - 7 PM

Speaker: Monte A. Melnick

Go backstage with Melnick, who served as tour manager for The Ramones and author of the book On the Road with The Ramones.

Thursday, April 28, 2022, 6 - 7 PM

Speaker: Richard Hell

Hell was a pivotal figure on the nascent New York punk rock scene in the 1970s. As an early member of two seminal groups, Television and the Heartbreakers, Hell helped establish CBGB as the home base of what came to be called punk.

Thursday, May 5, 2022, 6 - 7 PM

Speakers: Pat Ivers and Emily Armstrong

Ivers and Armstrong began documenting punk music together in 1977. Shooting in clubs from CBGB to Irving Plaza to Mudd Club, they amassed a huge body of work and produced a public access cable program, “Nightclubbing,” the first weekly tv show to feature bands like The Cramps, Richard Hell and the Voidoids and the Dead Kennedys.