British Punk

Another type of design that I have done research into is British Punk art. Punk developed as a reaction to the economic, political and social turbulence experienced in the UK during the 1970s as the former British Empire dissolved. It evolved into post-punk, and eventually percolated into mainstream culture. Taking the stage to articulate the feelings of a dissatisfied generation calling for change were the Sex Pistols, who played their first gig in 1975 at St Martins College of Art. Their outrageous behaviour and contempt for established conventions announced the beginning of Punk. The DIY ethos and uncontrolled, home made style was revolutionary at the time and launched a new era in British music, fashion and design. The band’s style of music was well represented by art student and anarchist Jamie Reid who had developed his unique collaged ‘ransom note’ typography whilst art directing a radical political magazine. In the ’70s graphic designers needed to commission a typesetter to create the type and they wouldn’t see what it looked like until it came back as finished copy printed out on a sheet. Instead Reid cut letters out of newspapers and magazines, collaging them together to be photographed. After this development there were a range of other aspects that came about to further Punk Art. Below are some examples of Punk art, personally I am not a fan of Punk art but I do enjoy the sight of some aspects such as the typography which I may experiment with in my later designs.