Unveiling Hard Art DC: Rediscovering the Raw Energy of 1979 with Lucian Perkins

The year 1979 marked a pivotal moment in the history of music and culture in Washington D.C. During this transformative time, photographer Lucian Perkins embarked on a remarkable journey, capturing the essence of the city's thriving punk and music scene in his iconic series "Hard Art DC."

The Birth of Hard Art DC

Washington D.C. in the late 1970s was a hotbed of artistic expression, rebellion, and counterculture. As the genre of punk rock gained momentum throughout the United States, the nation's capital embraced it wholeheartedly, giving birth to a unique and vibrant music scene. Inspired by the raw energy and sense of community that emanated from this movement, Lucian Perkins felt drawn to document this pivotal moment in the city's history.

Lucian Perkins, a young photographer with a keen eye for capturing raw emotions and authentic moments, realized that something remarkable was unfolding right before his lens. With his camera in hand, he immersed himself in the punk scene, attending countless concerts, parties, and underground gatherings. This allowed him to cultivate meaningful relationships with the musicians, fans, and creatives who shaped the spirit of D.C.'s music community during this era.

Hard Art, DC 1979

by Lucian Perkins (Kindle Edition)

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8137 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	100 pages

FREE

The Unvarnished Reality

What makes "Hard Art DC" so exceptional is its unflinching portrayal of the punk scene's gritty reality. In an era where mainstream media often overlooked or sensationalized the underground movement, Perkins' intimate photographs provide an authentic glimpse into the lives of those involved.

From the sweat-soaked basement shows to the chaotic mosh pits, the photographs capture the energy, passion, and rebellion that defined the era. Perkins took advantage of the punk scene's DIY ethos, becoming a self-published photographer and distributing his work in fanzines and local music publications. This allowed his photographs to reach the very audience that would appreciate and understand the significance of his images.

An Archive of Cultural Significance

Decades after Perkins roamed the streets of D.C. with his camera, the significance of his work has only grown. "Hard Art DC" has become an essential chronicle of a unique period in both musical and cultural history, preserving memories that could have easily been forgotten amidst the passing tides of time.

Perkins' photographs evoke an unmistakable nostalgia, transporting viewers back to a time of rebellion and self-expression. Whether it's the black-and-white images of punk bands in the midst of an electrifying performance or the candid snapshots of fans connecting with the music on a personal level, each photograph tells a story that transcends its frame.

Through his lens, Perkins not only documented the punk music scene but also captured the essence of a community that found solace and connection in the counterculture movement. These photographs are a testament to the power of art, music, and human expression to unite and empower individuals.

Discovering Lucian Perkins' Legacy

As the world becomes increasingly digitized, the rediscovery of Lucian Perkins' images has fuelled a renewed interest in the punk scene of the late 1970s. Those who were present during that time can reconnect with their youth, while younger generations have the chance to explore and understand a cultural movement that laid the foundation for many subsequent music genres.

Owing to the internet's vast reach, Perkins' work has become accessible to a global audience. People from different corners of the world, many of whom never experienced the D.C. punk scene firsthand, can appreciate and celebrate the legacy that Perkins so skillfully captured.

In

"Hard Art DC" stands as a testament to the power of photography to document, preserve, and inspire. Lucian Perkins' unparalleled ability to capture the essence of a significant cultural movement through his lens shines through every image in this series. His photographs serve as a time capsule, transporting us back to a raw, rebellious, and transformative period in Washington D.C.'s history. The legacy of "Hard Art DC" continues to captivate and inspire generations, reminding us of the artistic spirit that thrived in the face of adversity.

Hard Art, DC 1979

by Lucian Perkins (Kindle Edition)

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8137 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	100 pages

FREE

Capital Gift 2013, DCist

"Photos capturing the raw magnetism of performers like Charlie Danbury of Trenchmouth and H.R. of Bad Brains signal the power of the music. Perkins is also fascinated with the audience at these events, showcasing dingy stairwells and sweat-glazed faces. In telling shots, performers and audience blur into a frenzied mass. Musician MacKaye, of the Untouchables, gives a firsthand account of being a 14-year-old at these shows, crossing dangerous parts of D.C. in order to stand with strangers in derelict buildings and hear live music. Musician Rollins’s brief essay on one of the bands, the Teen Idles, speaks to the intensity and commitment of those involved."
--Publishers Weekly

"What do punk rock, a Washington Post reporter and books have in common?...For the most part, nothing--except for books by Washington Post reporters about punk rock."
--Huffington Post

"Many punk fans will purchase Hard Art for the novelty of seeing H.R. as he was before Bad Brains moved to New York and became legends, or Ian MacKaye as he was before he shaved his head, and formed Dischord Records, Minor Threat, and Fugazi. The book deserves a wider readership than that. Perkins’s skill as a portraitist is such that you can see the energy and potential in these young men’s faces even without the context of their future roles as icons. Equally worthwhile are the portraits of those who did not become icons, but participated in the shows."
--Philadelphia Review of Books

"A great document for the DC scene."
--TRUST Fanzine

In 1979, a soon-to-erupt punk scene took hold in Washington, DC, with bands like the Bad Brains, Trenchmouth, Teen Idles, the Untouchables, and the Slickee Boys, among others, at the forefront. Lucian Perkins, later a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist for the Washington Post, was then an intern who photographed several pivotal shows over a short period of time. His now iconic photos of these shows are complemented by punk rock musician Alec MacKaye’s narrative that runs throughout the book and an essay by Henry Rollins.

Hard Art, DC 1979 is both a book and a traveling exhibition of photographs by Lucian Perkins. The exhibition is curated and edited by photographer and photo editor Lely Constantinople and Jayme McLellan, director of Civilian Art Projects, Washington, DC, with photographs being shown as a group for the first time.

In 1995, Lely Constantinople was hired by Perkins to manage his extensive photographic collection spanning a twenty-five year career with the Post. While looking through negatives in his basement, she found the punk images and recognized MacKaye, her then boyfriend (now husband). She asked to make contact sheets to show him, thinking he might recognize himself and others, and was surprised by how excited MacKaye was to see the images. "Those pictures were the holy grail! Not that many people brought cameras to shows then so I always wondered who he was and what happened to the pictures he took. He was at some of the best shows."

MacKaye's text offers an intimate exploration of the moment from two perspectives: that of a fourteen-year-old experiencing music on his own terms for the first time, and a look again at a movement that fueled an underground generation musically and philosophically. His examination is not a nostalgic review of glory days gone, as much as a present conversation about the continuation of a way of thinking that still endures. Hard Art, DC 1979 is an intimate snapshot of "the time before the time" that punk rock found firm footing in the US. These images capture the cathartic, infectious energy present in any group of people who seek to change their communities through music and art.