Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Fifty years after a photocopied zine from downtown New York helped light the fuse for punk, the spirit of that era is crackling again on the Lower East Side — this time inside the Ki Smith Gallery, where "50 Years of PUNK" opens tonight.
Earlier this week, I stopped by the gallery, 170 Forsyth St., between Stanton and Rivington, as East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor, and illustrator of PUNK Magazine, and gallery owner Ki Smith, were putting the exhibit together...
The show brings together original work from artists, photographers and contributors who shaped — and were shaped by — PUNK Magazine, which championed the Ramones before their first record, put Blondie in print, and turned fanzine culture into something louder and more visual.
"This gallery show won't be your typical art gallery opening: It will be a celebration of PUNK Magazine, punk rock, and many of the people who contributed to this weird art and music 'thing' that took place in New York City in the 1970s, when it was bankrupt and depended on the arts community to bring it back to life," Holmstrom wrote in his Substack newsletter. "I like to think that we held up our end of the bargain."
Below (from left) photographer Nico Malvaldi, Smith, Holmstrom and Nour Shalaby, John's assistant ...
Upcoming events include:
• Dec. 13, 2-6 p.m. — Clothing Sale/Fashion Show. A Christmas sale featuring PUNK Magazine clothing, swag and memorabilia, including some rarely seen items.
• Jan. 7, 7-10 p.m. — Sex Pistols Tour Film Script: The Live Show. A reading of Holmstrom's account of the 1978 Sex Pistols U.S. tour, accompanied by images, on the tour's 48th anniversary.
• Early January — The Making of PUNK #1
Date TBD. Filmmaker Mary Harron, Holmstrom and others involved with the first issue will discuss how it came together.
• Jan. 11, 7 p.m. — Closing Party. Details to come.
Visit the gallery site for updates on programming as well as the list of the many notable contributors and photographers who made the publication a success.
"50 Years of PUNK" runs through Jan. 11. Gallery hours: Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
The opening reception is from 6-9 tonight.
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