Punk: The word is nearly as powerful as the movement itself. First emerging in the 1970s with bands like the New York Dolls, The Clash and the Sex Pistols, “Punk” quickly became much more than an insult lobbed at the too-rowdy boy next door.
Punk was passionate; it was angry, sensitive, aware and overtaken with the desire to make change. Amidst the political and social problems of the 70s, the Punk movement harnessed what it could to speak out — music, self expression and art.
One of the most iconic artists to do this was Linder Sterling. Better known as “Linder,” the punk artist explored every nook and cranny of the music she experienced, the problems her Manchester community faced and her own life struggles to create infamous art pieces that won’t soon be forgotten.
Now, at the age of 70, she is having a retrospective at the Hayward Gallery. According to an article from The Guardian, this comes “after years of being overlooked by the art establishment.” Still, Linder remains optimistic: “To have a retrospective at age 70 — there’s something very joyous about that.”
The most iconic of Linder’s collection was first popularized as an album cover. When the band Buzzcocks released a single named “Orgasm Addict,” Linder made perfect use of her talents, creating a collage of a naked woman with an iron for a head and two dazzling smiles for nipples. According to The Guardian, the image stands proud in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to this day.
Her feminist photography and photomontage art isn’t the only way Linder stood out. Throughout her life and time with her punk band, Ludus, Linder shocked the world with her daring — and sometimes disturbing — sense of style.
The Guardian details one of her performances when she “took to the stage in a bodice made of chicken carcasses,” following her display by pulling out a strap-on dildo. “Extraordinary music was happening then,” Linder said. It only made sense for her to follow suit.
This wasn’t the only big moment of fashion for Linder, however. For years, she has used her art to present outfits and aesthetics that stand out. One of her most popular photoshoots showcases Linder in a lacy, black top with strings of pearls and a face full of bold makeup. Reminiscent of both a housewife and punk idol, she sits with plastic wrap covering her nose and mouth and stares, wide-eyed, into the camera.
Even in her photoshoot for the promotion of her collection — titled Danger Comes Smiling, an homage to an old romance novel she stumbled upon in her grandmother’s house — she takes advantage of bold, unapologetic colors and shapes, looking defiant yet nonchalant in her sparkling dress and bright orange tights.
No matter what she does, Linder moves with intention. Although she may have traded her spiky, black hair, leather jackets and bold makeup for natural waves, long, floral dresses and a face devoid of anything but eyeshadow and lipstick, she continues to use every look, action and art piece for good.
The Punk movement is long past, but Linder stands strong with her feminist beliefs and anti-establishment core. Her retrospective — proud, intelligent and sure to stun — runs from Feb. 11-May 5.
