Panic Attack! Art in the Punk Years by Mark Sladen
Punk is most commonly associated with music, fashion and graphics, but its rebellious and iconoclastic spirit also found expression in the visual arts. Panic Attack! explores British and American art between 1974 and 1984, a period not only of economic and social crisis but also of remarkable cultural energy, when art became increasingly politicized just as society at large was moving towards conservatism. Many of the artists featured were part of a dynamic interdisciplinary scene that embraced both art and music, producing work that was sometimes confrontational or angry, but always fiercely independent and intelligent. This work is a vibrant and powerful visual account of an exciting, innovative period in British and American art. It features the work of 30 leading artists, among them Gilbert & George, Nan Goldin, Derek Jarman and Robert Mapplethorpe. It highlights the burning artistic concerns that defined the spirit of the punk years.