Featured Exhibition - Punk Passage: San Francisco First Wave Punk 1977-1981

Photo: Ruby Ray
San Francisco was the center of a vibrant and exciting punk scene in the late 1970s, rivaling Los Angeles and New York. In 1977, photographer Ruby Ray began documenting the punk scene in the city for the seminal punk magazine Search and Destroy.

Punk Passage: San Francisco First Wave Punk features 45 black and white photographic portraits and live music photographs of original punk innovators by the San Francisco-based photographer Ray in the Main Library, Jewett Gallery, September 12- December 6. Original punk rock 'zines, flyers, posters and ephemera from 1977 to 1981 along with additional articles and ephemera from the library's Art, Music and Recreation Center Collection and from the Little Maga/Zine Collection, Book Arts & Special Collections also will be on view, sharing the rich historical roots of punk rock from the center of the San Francisco artistic movement.

The message is unabashed individualism, creativity, do-it-yourself activism and black humor. Bands such as the Avengers, Dead Kennedys, the Dils, Crime, Sleeper, the Mutants and others are represented, placing them within the historic context as an important part of San Francisco's counter-culture history, as innovative for its time as the beat and hippie movements were.

Related Events:
September 12 - November 22
Punk Penelope
A display of original artwork, albums and ephemera from the collection of Penelope Houston, singer/songwriter and founder of the seminal punk rock band, The Avengers.
Cafe, Lower Level, Main Library

Tuesday, September 15 --- 2-4 p.m.
Meet the Artist-Photographer Ruby Ray
Jewett Gallery, Lower Level, Main Library

Wednesday, October 7 --- 6 p.m.
Punk Live on Film
Screenings of Louder, Faster, Shorter; Deaf Punk; and Insect Lounge Sally RemiX 1978 followed by audience Q&A with filmmaker Mindy Bagdon and photographer Ruby Ray.
Koret Auditorium, Lower Level, Main Library

Tuesday, October 20 --- 6 p.m.
Gimme Something Better
Author reading and presentation by Jack Boulware and Silke Tudor. Book sale to immediately follow.
Latino/Hispanic Community Meeting Room, Lower Level, Main Library

Wednesday, November 4 --- 6 p.m.
Film Screening of SF Punk (Target Video)
West Coast Premiere!
Film will be followed by audience Q&A with photographer Ruby Ray and video producer Joe Rees.
Koret Auditorium, Lower Level, Main Library

Tuesday, November 17 --- 7 p.m.
Queer Punk: Panel Discussion
Panel will discuss how being Queer influenced their music and share memories of playing in the San Francisco punk scene in the '80s and '90s. Panelists include KD Davis, bass player for Wilma and Impulse F, Debbie Hopkins, drummer for The Contractions, and Jon Ginoli, founder of Pansy Division.
Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library, 1 Jose Sarria Court (at 16th Street)