Curated by Ki Smith and John Holmstrom
Opening Reception:
Saturday October 17, 5–7 PM

Downtown New York, 1976. The Ramones are playing CBGB, a new scene is taking shape on the Bowery, and the first issue of a magazine called PUNK hits the streets. Loud, unruly, creative, and full of attitude, it’s rock ’n’ roll on paper.

Fifty years later, 50 Years of PUNK brings the magazine’s irreverent spirit to Hudson Hall, celebrating the artists, photographers, cartoonists, musicians, and misfits who filled its pages and helped turn a downtown scene into a cultural movement.

Founded by John Holmstrom, Ged Dunn, and Legs McNeil, PUNK championed the Ramones before their first album was released, featured Blondie early on, and mixed interviews, comics, photography, hand-drawn graphics, and satire into something that looked and sounded unlike anything else on the newsstand.

50 Years of PUNK brings together five decades of PUNK Magazine covers and artwork, featuring Luis Accorsi, Imari Azzi, Roberta Bayley, Bruce Carleton, R. Crumb, Rufus Dayglo, Hal Drellich, Shepard Fairey, Danny Fields, GODLIS, Bobby Grossman, Tom Hearn, Danny Hellman, John Holmstrom, Bob Krasner, Johnny Moondog, Cliff Mott, Eileen Polk, Dustin Pittman, Joey Ramone, Robert Romagnoli, Chris Stein, Steve W. Taylor, Debra “Raffles” Tripodi, Buz Vaultz, Ken Weiner, and more.

Just as it did half a century ago, PUNK is a reminder to make some noise.

Hudson Hall’s programs are made possible with support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts