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Review: Jewett Gallery exhibit shows a variety of punk scene photographs

The Guardsman
These photos are on display in the Jewett Gallery in San Franciso Public Library's main branch as part of Ruby Ray's exhibit titled "Punk Passage San Francisco First Wave Punk 1977-1981" The exhibit will be on display from Sept. 12 to Dec. 6. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUBY RAY
These photos are on display in the Jewett Gallery in San Franciso Public Library's main branch as part of Ruby Ray's exhibit titled "Punk Passage San Francisco First Wave Punk 1977-1981" The exhibit will be on display from Sept. 12 to Dec. 6. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUBY RAY

By Cailie Skelton
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

“Sex Bomb” by punk band Flipper grinds through retro speakers in the lower level of the San Francisco Public Main Library as two girls with aqua marine hair and miscellaneous patches on their clothes whisper and point at the display of 30 year old zines and images of the Avengers. An older man describes the last time he saw the Dead Kennedys live 26 years ago, when he was about my age.

The motley crew of older punks and people in their early 20s gathered at the Jewett Gallery for “Punk Passage San Francisco First Wave Punk,” an exhibition of photographs by Ruby Ray.

From the mid ‘70s to the late ‘80s, San Francisco had a dominant punk scene that rivaled New York and Los Angeles. The images in the exhibit portray local San Francisco bands from 1977 to 1981. With little attention from the media, punk bands grew in popularity by word of mouth, zines and touring. Ray’s images are predominantly of the latter — live shows.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUBY RAY
PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUBY RAY

Other pictures feature bands hanging out, like a photograph called “Flipper in the Dark.” Ray states in the description, “I couldn’t see their faces through the camera lens. We used the camera flash as an occasional explosion of light, just to see where we were going.”

Also shown are pictures of bands riding motorcycles around San Francisco’s  Russian Hill neighborhood, invading junkyards and hanging out in North Beach.

“It was cool,” said Brandan, a visitor to the exhibit. “I was a little older and listened to this on the radio in LA. This exhibit was a little more local and smaller.”

These photos are on display in the Jewett Gallery in San Franciso Public Library's main branch as part of Ruby Ray's exhibit titled "Punk Passage San Francisco First Wave Punk 1977-1981." The exhibit will be on display from Sept 12 to Dec. 6. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUBY RAY
These photos are on display in the Jewett Gallery in San Franciso Public Library's main branch as part of Ruby Ray's exhibit titled "Punk Passage San Francisco First Wave Punk 1977-1981." The exhibit will be on display from Sept 12 to Dec. 6. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUBY RAY

The exhibit mainly contains photographs, however, it also has a collage of fliers from the time and a large number of zines as well as a stereo playing 23 songs by local bands of that time.

Pictures and music capture the general attitude of the people involved in the punk movement. It is fairly insightful into what punk meant to the people who were involved.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUBY RAY
PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUBY RAY

“Punk Passage San Francisco First Wave Punk” runs through December 6 and has a variety of events revolving around it including films, books readings and discussions.

More information can be found at http://www.sfpl.org

The Guardsman