Linder Sterling and Jon Savage: The Secret Public / Punk Montages, Photography and Collages 1976-1981

“London’s Outrage” (a zine or samizdat – depending on your terminology) was produced in November 1976 in Manchester, England. Clearly under the spell of the new music of the day it was done in two days. London’s Outrage was influenced by other publications, especially Sniffin’ Glue, Who Put The Bomp, Bam Balam, and, on the visual side, Claude Pelieu and John Heartfield.

The first issue of “London’s Outrage” was 50 xeroxed copies and 1000 printed issues. Issue number 2 (all photos and montage set in Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grave and Notting Dale) — only 50 copies xeroxed were sold.

However the collages (or photomontages) they made speak distinctly about a time when pop culture, especially pop culture was a far more dangerous place than it is today. I’m not going to bore with what was – you can read about that anywhere – but here is the main thing you should be aware of…

This approach was everywhere at the time, and it may have created Richard Prince. (accidently, of course)

I don’t want to dismiss the work when I say “This approach was everywhere” in fact I believe that to be one of it’s strengths. The “rip it up and start it again” aesthetic is core to the visual history of Punk. What makes these a bit different is that while these images have a relationship with “outsider art”, ready-mades and found art, at the same time they comment upon sexuality, consumer consumption, and deep social commentary. While many of their contemporaries used this method in a far more decorative approach.

I think it is this crossroads that makes the images from The Secret Public stand apart from the graphics of other punk/new wave designers like Jamie Reid and Barney Bubbles. Where these artists have a visual dialog that has easily entered the mainstream in recent years – the cool sheen of Sterling and Savage’s images reflect an intuitive and darkly sardonic worldview.

Manchester, so much to answer for.

Images in the show expand beyond just London’s Outrage to include work done in Manchester for bands like the Buzzcocks, Magazine (Howard DeVoto’s band after he would leave the Buzzcocks) and for The Factory (in the near future that night club would spin out to also become a legendary music label).

I will admit to being “a bit” of a factory records fan – of great interest was one of the early fliers that Tony Wilson made for The Factory (at top). Even more interesting as this style is clearly anathema to the visual language that Peter Saville would later go on to produce for The Factory, and become world famous for. (within design circles) It’s inclusion certainly brings an additional bit of grit to the pristine sheen that The Factory became known for.

THE ARTISTS:
John Savage’s writing has been in the forefront of my memory since the very early eighties, where I read him in magazines like Melody Maker and The Face. Recently he is probably best known for his book England’s Dreaming.

I will admit to knowing nothing about Linder Sterling before walking into this exhibit.

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Part of this article references information from Andrew Gallix’s 2002 interview with Jon Savage in 3 A.M. magazine.