A new exhibition at Keele University capturing the spirit of the punk movement has been officially opened by a former member of the Sex Pistols. 

Glen Matlock, the band’s former bassist and songwriter, was the keynote speaker at the launch of the exhibition of punk photography, featuring work by some of the most celebrated music photographers of the 20th century. 

“Punk: from Andy Warhol to Vivienne Westwood” is a unique visual journey of the punk, the last counter-cultural movement, from its origins in Warhol's Factory and Downtown New York, to its flowering in Britain styled by the genius of Vivienne Westwood and led by the Clash, Sex Pistols and thousands of DIY bands that made music accessible to more teenagers than ever before.  

The exhibition is curated by Stephen Colegrave, the co-author of PUNK and Inside Music, and brings together a range of punk photographers including Leee Black Childers, Nat Finkelstein, Mick Rock and Bob Gruen as well as original screens from Vivienne Westwood's shop SEX. The exhibition will also feature work by the students from the School of Humanities at Keele University.   

This exhibition aims to recapture the spirit of punk and give it context, and was launched with an event on campus this week. 

Professor Bela Arora from Keele’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, who has coordinated the exhibition, said: “This unique exhibition captures an incredible time in recent history that stemmed from a passion for music but then influenced fashion, society and culture. The photographic collection will evolve during the autumn term and go on to include work captured and created by our very own students.   

“Keele has a rich heritage of music and members of our alumni community have fond memories of seeing bands on campus ranging from The Pretenders and Dexys Midnight Runners to U2 and Altered Images. It was wonderful to provide our students with an opportunity to meet Glen Matlock in a dedicated masterclass in advance of the launch event.” 

The exhibition is free to attend and runs until 20th December 2023. For more information visit the ArtsKeele website.