The punk and post-punk movements of the late ’70s and early ’80s were times of great experimentation — and the revolution reverberated beyond music to the visual arts and design, too. Just as the hippie sounds of the ’60s spawned psychedelic gig posters, bands like the Ramones, the Sex Pistols, Blondie, and Joy Division ushered in a new era for graphic design. From a cold, gridded, red-and-black Joy Division poster to a Buzzcocks ad featuring a woman with an iron for a head and mouths for nipples, Rude and Reckless: Punk/Post-Punk Graphics, 1976-82 showcases the wild, witty, and sometimes even beautiful art of underground music. The exhibition is on view at Steven Kasher Gallery in New York through August 19th. Click through for a gallery of our favorite pieces, then visit the gallery’s website to see more.
Malcolm Garrett & Linder Sterling, Buzzcocks, Orgasm Addict, 1977, vintage poster, 47” x 33”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Anonymous, Blondie, 1976, vintage poster on linen, 27 1/2” x 17”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
X3 Studios, Alternative TV, The Image Has Cracked, 1978, vintage poster, 30” x 20”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Poly Styrene, X-Ray Spex, Oh Bondage Up Yours!, 1977, vintage poster. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Jamie Reid, Sophie Richmond & Vivienne, Sex Pistols Fanzine, Anarchy in the UK No. 1, 1977. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Porl Thompson and Andy Vella, The Cure, Head on the Door, 1985, vintage poster, 30” x 20”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Barney Bubbles, Elvis Costello, Armed Forces, 1979, vintage poster, 29 1/2” x 19 1/2”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Anonymous, Generation X, 45 Calling, 1977,vintage poster, 15” x 20”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Jim Osterberg, Iggy Pop, US Tour, 1979, vintage poster, 25” x 38”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Anonymous, Joy Division, Au Plan K, Brussels Concert, 1980, vintage poster, 40” x 27 1/2”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Anonymous, Malcolm McLaren, Carmen, 1994, vintage poster, 21” x 16”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Barney Bubbles, The Rumour, Frogs, Sprouts Clogs & Krauts, 1979, silk screen vintage poster, 30” x 20”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Jamie Reid, Sex Pistols, Young Flesh Required, 1979, vintage poster, 27 1/2” x 39 1/2”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Anonymous, Teenage Jesus & the Jerks, 1978, vintage poster, 17” x 25”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.
Anonymous, Blitzkrieg Bop, 1977, vintage poster, 16” x 12”. Image courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery.