The Most Punk Punk Designer: Sheila Roque

Sheila Roque (Sheila Rock), a plain clothes, simple hairstyle, slow and clear enunciation, is more like a capable urban woman, as if it is far from "punk".

"I've never been punk." She said frankly. Nevertheless, she accidentally broke into a group of young people in the 70s of last century. They played music, held parties, discussed life and reality. ROK captured these weird and funny people. After that, they all knew the iconic characters in pop music history: collision band, Chrissy Hyde, Paul Weller, sex pistol, X generation band, Su Kexi and the banshee, The Subway Sect, curse band, buzz chicken band. And the punk trend that they are leading and forming still has endless vitality in the visual field of fashion today.

On the upcoming exhibition of "AGN s B. [PUNK+] tribute to punk era art exhibition" at the Museum of contemporary art in Shanghai, there are 28 selected photographs from the photographer Sheila Roque Limited Edition PUNK+. The album is a record of the punk movement in London. It records how punk expanded in Britain from a small and high profile to an important influence on society, culture and fashion.

Born in the United States, Sheila Roque was educated at Boston University and the London Film Academy. He has settled and worked in London since 1970. ROC didn't know that he wanted to be a photographer in the early days of society. He just found out from the visual angle that the punk style of the punk musicians was made of second-hand clothing and cheap cloth.

They like to make ornaments with dog chains or metal rivets and belts, wear lines or intentionally tear up dirty clothes with large safety pins, wear clothes on the sides of clothes, love cool Martin boots, and always wear large and small badges. By capturing the moments of musicians' performance and rest, ROC unconsciously grasped the primitive and creative aesthetic elements of punk movement, and also witnessed the birth and development of a sub culture.

"What attracts me most is appearance first."

Daily: you once said that the popular circles in the 70s of last century were like a big party, punk, rock and roll, Mods and bareheaded party. Why did you choose punk group instead of others?

Sheila Roque: when you are really in your life, you won't feel anything special is happening. So the question shouldn't be why I chose them, but something that is happening and happened to happen to me. At that time, I did not like the negative emotions of the head race. The modern school was also very interesting, but most of them were boys. Besides, there were many interesting sub culture groups.

Punk's first attraction is my appearance. I've never seen anyone dressed like this. It's even a bit of an art of behavior. Britain was experiencing economic depression at that time. Many people could only work for three days a week. Almost everyone was too poor to afford new clothes, so second-hand clothing was quietly rising. They were very cheap and fashionable at the same time. When they become solitary or the retro style of the last generation, these old clothes are full of personality. I think people may be attracted to this kind of personality - they look so dazzling and exciting.

At that time, everyone was very young, most of them had no special skills. Many people aspire to big cities, so they come to London after graduating from high school. Punk musicians are actually very simple, though their culture is regarded as rebellious and extreme by later generations.

Daily: do you think punk culture is more derived from fashion than music?

ROK: for me, punk is actually a combination of the two. After I came to London, I gradually discovered that rock and roll live performances were also full of fashion information - people dressed very carefully and personalities, not only through music but also through clothing to express their thoughts. Social and economic conditions are bad, so young people create their own clothes. They don't have advanced musical instruments, and music is also very simple, just like new-born babies who want to work hard. Gradually, we can find our own route and become more mature and confident.

The essence of punk culture is constantly seeking new and different things. I think it may be more difficult now than it was, because now the whole world has similar values, wearing the same clothes and using the same cell phone. Can you think of any other culture that is more powerful and puny than people Punk?

Daily: as a grown up person in the United States, what do you think of British pop culture?

ROK: later I realized that subcultures like these different groups are not common in the United States. At that time, for me who came to England, I was very new and felt that the world was becoming more colorful.

Punk encourages innovation and challenges the general norms of secular society. In the United States, according to my own observation, though richer, the whole culture is the result of integration. Music is so dressed. Only a small group of young artists are thinking about doing something different. British culture is more rooted in the working class, mainly in the economic and social situation, so it always sounds relevant to the society. But the sense of drama and conflict is beyond the reach of the Americans.

Daily: punk music does not pay attention to skills, simple three chords, two or three minutes of length, simple and straightforward. Instead, clothing, pictures, posters and other aspects of the most powerful, how do you think the impact of shape and vision on punk pop culture?

ROK: it must be huge, even bigger than the power of music itself. Because punk music is rough, young people on the stage play with guitars and drums, making all kinds of noise. On the other hand, images are unusual. They are to encourage everyone to try new things, do not need the whole world to agree, do not need to start from the apprentice honestly, just let go of it. I think the image is more important than music, perhaps because of the identity of his own photographer, but in fact, punk music is very rough, basically only existed for a time, and punk style of clothing was later absorbed by a number of pioneer fashion designers, and can continue to carry forward.

　　 "All the pictures seem to be falling from the sky."

Daily: when you mix with people, are you a punk member?

ROK: do you think I look like punk? No, no, I've never been punk. Maybe I prefer Bohemia style. Sometimes it's just like wearing black jeans and a black fur coat; or white shirts and a tie, like Patti Smith, are not feminine, but to express their inner independence and strength, not to show sexy in a provocative way, like now Rihanna. Maybe at that time, I didn't know what the connotation of these styles was, I was simply attracted to them.

Daily: what kind of identity do you prefer, a friend or fan of a musician or a photographer on the sidelines?

ROK: actually, I wasn't a professional photographer at that time, but when I was in puberty, I received a camera from others, so I took it everywhere and took pictures everywhere. It was because of my ex husband's relationship that I had the opportunity to make a tour with David Bowie, and then gradually became acquainted with the music circles.

At first, I didn't have a commercial purpose. So many interesting things happened around me that I naturally wanted to pick up the camera and make a mess of it. At first, I wasn't even sure what the effect would be. I had to finish 36 films to print. Until someone saw my work was very good, I had more chances.

Daily: it is said that you have not seriously studied photography, so you must have many extraordinary talents.

ROK: Thank you for saying so. Maybe I am interested in people, and I like dealing with all kinds of people. Now I often talk with my friends at that time, what happened at that time. I do not love photography, but find it a good way to get close to popular culture. I was almost ignorant of what I had done, and all the pictures seemed to be falling from the sky - from this perspective, I was very punk.

Since then, my career has also been making new changes. After I worked for music characters, worked in the music trend magazine "FACE", and worked for the record companies, I found my interest turned to other fields, so I entered the fashion industry and advertising industry. Later I was more inclined to do social photography records, and recently completed a group of filming of the British coastal environment. I have always been moving forward, trying to make new attempts, rather than compromising around.