It’s Something Hell’s | Youth Club | 2011
IT’S SOMETHING HELL’S – A celebration of Rockabilly, Rockers & Teddy Boy style past and present.
The exhibition was a collaboration between YOUTH CLUB and the renowned Rockabilly barber Mr Ducktail and 50s beauty stylist Miss Betty. Featured in the show were photographs from the PYMCA archive by Tim Scott, Leonie Morse, Richard Braine, Robin Maddock and Ester Segarra plus many more shots from the 50s to the present.
Inside Job – Lawrence Watson/House of Billiam | Youth Club | 2011
INSIDE JOB was a collaborative exhibition featuring Lawrence Watson’s world renowned photographs featuring music legends from rock, hip hop & britpop plus a selection of jackets from bespoke street wear label, House of Billiam. The centrepiece of the exhibition was a YOUTH CLUB commissioned House of Billiam varsity jacket in trademark YOUTH CLUB colours with the lining made from an iconic photograph taken by PYMCA contributor Lawrence Watson.
Young Souls by Dean Chalkley | Youth Club | 2011
YOUNG SOULS by Dean Chalkley touches on the culture of Northern Soul. Working to a theme based around ‘Religion’ with art, fashion and culture title 125 magazine, the exhibition of still photographs was produced to coincide with the release of Chalkley’s short film of the same name.
“I didn’t set out to create the definitive story of Northern Soul, but I did aim to celebrate it. The Photographic aspect is a study focusing on the current burgeoning generation of young people getting into the Scene, whereas the film brings the atmosphere and wonder of Northern Soul to life.” – Dean Chalkley
Street Style | The Book Club | 2010
STREET STYLE by Ted Polhemus – Exhibition & Book Launch by PYMCA
“Streetstyle is my sartorial bible” – Chloe Sevigny in The New York Times
“Without the Hipsters, Teddy Boys, Beats, Rockabillies, Rude Boys, Mods, Surfers, Hippies, Punks, B-Boys, Ravers, Harajuku Girls – and all the other streetstyle originals – most of us would be left without anything to wear. But the sharp suits, leather jackets, jeans, kaftans, flares, DMs, slick locks and so forth are only the visible, tangible part of this legacy. Oozing through the clothes, hairstyles, make-up and accessories is an attitude. An attitude which perhaps more than any other set the tone of life in the second half of the twentieth century and which shows no sign of dissipating in the twenty-first.” – Ted Polhemus
Unordinary People | The Royal Albert Hall | 2009
UNORDINARY PEOPLE – British Youth Culture 1960 – 2009
In 2009 PYMCA was approached by The Royal Albert Hall to exhibit as part of its Reflect series. The exhibition featured photography, archive video footage and text, documenting the history, lifestyles, fashions, hairstyles, music and subcultures of young people in Britain over the past 50 years.
Hartnett – 76>Now | Vibe Bar Gallery | 2008
“What intrigues me are the motivations to dress-up, the resourcefulness and the need to be seen as an individual.” – Paul Hartnett.
To celebrate a vivid youth culture documented over the last three decades, PYMCA created HARTNETT – 76>NOW, a retrospective of Paul Hartnett’s impressive photographic work that over the years has painstakingly documented midnight’s children and their club culture from around the world.
“My pictures do not glamourise the subject. If anything it is the bloodshot eyes, gaping pores and psychology beyond the make-up that I want a viewer to probe. The often pathetic and low level functioning of reality of midnight’s children and the sheep-like fashion crowd.” – Paul Hartnett.
Wildstyles | PYMCA Gallery | 2007
To celebrate all things Hip Hop and the 25th anniversary of the release of the definitive Hip Hop film ‘Wild Style’, PYMCA created WILDSTYLES, an exhibition that featured classic rare photographs hailing back to the ‘old skool’ days.
Taking you back to the halcyon days of Adidas shell toes and Run DMC, WILDSTYLES, was an exhibition that took you to the heart of hip hop, showing how this music became a way of life for a global through the eyes of those who were there. Photographers involved included Normski, Janette Beckman, Eddie Otchere, Ted Polhemus, Naki, Paul Hartnett, Peter Anderson, Adam Friedman and many more…
“The best part of my Youth was at the same time as Hip hop the voice and culture of a generation was invented. Suddenly there was a scene, a sound and similar people on the other side of the world that I could relate to. It was as if everybody could have an identity that would speak for him or her. Just because some of us were from poor backgrounds didn’t mean we couldn’t feel rich and hip hop culture is all about showing what you can do and expressing yourself fully.” – Normski
Pills, Stills & Bellyaches | PYMCA Gallery | 2007
PILLS, STILLS & BELLYACHES – 20 years of Acid House and Rave culture from ’87 – ’07 by PYMCA
From clubs such as Shoom, The Trip and Spectrum in London and Manchester’s Hacienda, through to orbital raves around the M25 and the mid nineties Hardcore and Drum & Bass scenes, the exhibition covered all styles and sounds up to the ‘New Rave’ and ‘Electro’ scenes taking over clubland.
The exhibition contained the unique images of Dave Swindells who photographed the original Acid House and Rave scenes as well as images by Tristan O’Neill, Peter J Walsh, Naki, Matthew Smith, Suzy del Campo plus many more.
This Was England | PYMCA Gallery & BFI Southbank | 2007
THIS WAS ENGLAND was created to coincide with the release of the film This is England by Shane Meadows, PYMCA presented an exhibition of skinhead culture from the early 1980s upon which the film which is based. The exhibition moved to the BFI Southbank for the premiere of the film.
Containing the unique collection of Gavin Watson from the book ‘Skins’, the exhibition offered a unique insight into the lives of young members of this subculture in this turbulent era.
“The influence of SKINHEADS has spread a lot wider than just small groups of people wearing big boots and shaving their heads, their neighbors, family, the community and the people that hated us etc. The stories are the most important thing. The story’s, the myths, the memories, that’s what all this is about really, memories of the time when you were young and didn’t give a fuck or at least pretended you didn’t. I feel it is important to explain the amount of transformations I went through in the years of growing up. Being a skinhead always seemed to be there whether I was losing my virginity or standing in a field nearly ten years later with thousands of ravers.” – Gavin Watson
Featured photographers included: Gavin Watson, John G Byrne, Janette Beckman, Toni Tye, Peter Anderson, Ted Polhemus, Richard Braine & Paul Hartnett
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James Lange | Photography | Picture Editing | Research 