MoCA Westport Announces "Punk is Coming" Exhibition

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.