Sheila Rock's Exhibition 'Torn Apart' Opened at the Orlando Museum of Art
Sheila Rock at 'Torn Apart: Punk + New Wave Graphics, Fashion and Culture, 1976-86' at the Orlando Museum of Art
Elliott Gallery is excited to announce the opening of Torn Apart: Punk + New Wave Graphics, Fashion and Culture, 1976-86 at the Orlando Museum of Art, showcasing Sheila Rock’s photography, together with an extensive collection of punk graphics and ephemera, and a collection of Vivienne Westwood garments.
Installation shot at 'Torn Apart' at the Orlando Museum of Art
‘Torn Apart’, one of the most comprehensive punk exhibitions to date at the Orlando Museum of Art, highlights 30 pieces of Sheila Rock’s impressive body of work including her photographs of seminal bands and music icons, such as the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Blondie or John Lydon. The exhibition also features Sheila’s documentation of emerging cultural scenes of the era, from young punks at music venues, clubs, to clothing stores like Sex and Seditionaries.
Installation shot at 'Torn Apart' at the Orlando Museum of Art
“The early years of punk were about individuality and self-expression. It was a time of experimentation and creative energy. Girls and boys looked cool but with no resources. They found clothes in secondhand shops and put together their unique outfits. They went to gigs looking great and affiliated themselves with bands struggling to express a new sound. I was basically self-taught, and this resonates with the early punk bands struggling to play instruments and creating new music. We were all trying to find our voice.”
— Sheila Rock
Visitors at 'Torn Apart' at the Orlando Museum of Art
Sheila Rock
Sheila Rock was born in the USA and studied at Boston University and the London Film School. She has lived and worked in London since 1970.
Describing herself as an ‘accidental photographer’, she became an influential force shaping the look of creative magazines like The FACE magazine. Rock’s portrait photography covers a wide spectrum of subjects. Ranging from the emergence of Punk and New Wave music, her striking portrait series of Horses, and her sensitive images of British holiday goers depicting a thoughtful portrait of the resolute spirit of British Summer Time.
The exhibition is on view from 21 September 2024 until 5 January, 2025 at the Orlando Museum of Art in Orlando, US.