The world of politics always attracted me, yet I never tried to get into it because I tend to get very passionate about political and social issues and I’m sure that debating about specific topics with some of my opponents and adversaries would have led me to an early grave.
I have noticed, though, that one great way to talk politics without getting a heart attack in my case is to analyse it in a context that also involves fashion and music.
It’s indeed undeniable to spot connections between different political movements, fashion trends and music genres.
One day I will hopefully rediscover in this blog the ominous influence of Fascism on fashion (and film!), but for today let’s stay focused on the punk movement, considering also McLaren's recent demise.
If you are interested in rediscovering the connections of punk with fashion, music and politics and you happen to be in London next week, don't miss the exhibition ‘A Riot of Our Own’, part of the Riot, Race and Rock & Roll section of the East End Film Festival (EEFF), that is taking place in London two weeks before the next General Election.
The exhibition will showcase bits and pieces from the archives of Graphicsi, that is Ruth Gregory and Syd Shelton, who were members of the Rock Against Racism (RAR) Movement.
The archives include photographs and other materials from 1976 to 1981, relating to the RAR movement that involved at the time black and white political activists, musicians, artists, graphic designers, photographers, actors, writers and fashion designers, all of them joining forces to fight against racism and the National Front.
The EEFF will also offer the chance of joining a debate about political issues and culture chaired by Mark Steel and follow documentaries and films related to punk and politics, such as Robert Heath’s SUS, based on Barrie Keefe’s 1979 play The Long Good Friday.
This year the festival programme is particularly exciting and will take the audience on a long journey through different countries, from Great Britain to Poland, Romania, Russia and Slovenia, touching upon different issues, human rights included.
If you don’t have the time to follow the entire event and you are interested in punk, social issues, religion and rebellion, try at least to see Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam (2009).
Directed by Omar Majeed, the documentary - a mix of punk mayhem, humour and sarcasm dealing with
issues such as Islamophobia and hypocrisy - follows the Boston-based band The Kominas on tour, introducing to the audience their tour mates and fellow bands, Vote Hezbollah, girl band Secret Trial Five (imagine a crossover between The Slits and Le Tigre, with songs about world leaders being eaten by zombies - genius), Al-Thawra and Sarmust.
The documentary tries to trace the birth of the Islamic punk scene, inspired by Michael Muhammad Knight’s novel The Taqwacores (2003, turned into the eponymous 2008 film, directed by Eyad Zahra), definitely the only book out there where you will find riot grrrls and burqas in the same page.
Exercise for all the fashion design students reading this post (all the others, go and listen to your favourite punk records to get into a riotous mood): think about ways to channel resistance and generate empowerment through clothes and accessories. Wonder how catwalk shows can incorporate cultural politics and how artists and musicians may inspire your designs (think also about groups from the taqwa scene and how they are fashioning their image).
Fashion design students coming from countries where contemporary resistance movements have adopted a particular colour to express their ideas (example: Thailand and the red shirts; Italy and the purple movement, etc), wonder how you can use those colours in your designs to spread out powerful protest messages against repression and censorship.
"A Riot of Our Own" is at the Vibe Gallery, London, 23rd-30th April; the East End Film Festival runs from 22nd to 30th April. You can keep updated with the East End Film Festival also by following it on Twitter.
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