Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings

 

‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’ ~ 40 years marked by 40 paintings.

 

'Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings' - Chris Billington ~ UK and USA 2014

‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’ – Chris Billington ~ UK and USA 2014

 

Apologies for the lack of news coming out of my studio the past couple of months but I have been working hard on finishing off the work for ‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’, my forthcoming exhibition in Liverpool and Ohio.

‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’ is a series of 40 paintings to mark the forthcoming 40th anniversary of the birth of punk music.  Punk exploded onto the scene almost simultaneously in the UK and the USA in 1976 with bands such as New York’s Ramones and the Sex Pistols, Damned and The Clash in the UK spearheading the movement but the roots of the genre are clearly in the music of American garage bands around the period of  1974 – 1976.

 

'Neat Neat Neat' (2014) - acrylic on canvas - 28in x 24in - 'Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings' - Chris Billington

‘Neat Neat Neat’ (2014) – acrylic on canvas – 28in x 24in – ‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’ – Chris Billington

 

With its hard hitting stance and DIY ethos Punk was a jolt to the complacent establishment, not only sending ripples across the big music corporations but also governments with its anti authoritarianism.   As much about the message as the music itself Punk quickly spread across the world in 1977  becoming a cult phenomenon.

 

'White Riot' (2014) - acrylic on wood panel -12in x 12in - 'Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings' - Chris Billington

‘White Riot’ (2014) – acrylic on wood panel -12in x 12in – ‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’ – Chris Billington

 

In the UK Punk did not centre entirely around London and the south east of England and there was a hive of activity in the  North of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, spreading out across the regions.

 

'Teenage Kicks' (2014) - acrylic on wood panel -12in x 12in - 'Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings' - Chris Billington

‘Teenage Kicks’ (2014) – acrylic on wood panel -12in x 12in – ‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’ – Chris Billington

 

Similarly in the USA it was not all about New York, with bands coming out of every corner of North America, such as San Francisco, the Twin Cities, Michigan and Akron to name a few.   To that end I am delighted to be taking ‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’ to The Gallery, Liverpool in November and Studio 2091 in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio early in 2015 and to be working with two wonderful gallerists in Billy Wilson and Amy Mothersbaugh-Roos. .

 

'Blank Generation' (2014) - acrylic on wood panel -12in x 12in - 'Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings' - Chris Billington

‘Blank Generation’ (2014) – acrylic on wood panel -12in x 12in – ‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’ – Chris Billington

 

The hardest part for me has been the music and the bands that I have not been able to cover within the limited scope of 40 paintings, especially as I have included a few that are not strictly punk but were born out of the punk genre, but overall the exhibition should give a flavour of  a movement which incorporated art, music, fashion and a complete ideology and made a lasting impact internationally.

There will be a comprehensive catalogue to accompany the exhibition and a book is planned for 2015.

‘Punk ~ The Transatlantic Paintings’ 

The Gallery Liverpool, Stanhope Street, Liverpool L8 5RE

:: November 7 – November 17 :: Private View November 7 ::

Studio 2091,  Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio early 2015 date TBC

The Gallery Liverpool

 

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