And it was a new way of life, New York at this time between 1974 -1984 was a turbulent period for the city. It was synonamous with a huge economic slump to the point where the city almost declared bankrupcy, mass unemployment, crime, drug abuse and general lawlessness in the form of street gangs put New York into its spiraling decline. A wall of Tabloids of that era illustrate some of the realities the city was facing; The 1977 blackout that incited widespread rioting to the shooting of John Lennon in 1980 which helped highlight the 1,826 homicides in the city during that year.

Wall of tabloids between 1974 – 1984

Characterized by the films such as Taxi Driver and Looking for Mr. Goodbar, these films illustrated the gritty reality and social tensions that existed. The aesthetic qualities that these films relied on for their texture were very apparent in New York and this visual palette of anti-establishment and vulgarity was spilling over to other areas such as music, design & fashion. The aesthetic of the time was said to be honed by “anything your parents would find insulting”. Artists shunned anything that was deemed “corporate” or “safe” and were lucky enough to take full advantage of the cheap, industrial living in downtown Manhattan, often taking over huge loft spaces for next to nothing.

Blondie through the years

It may sound silly but I can’t help feel a small bit of sadness that these monumental times have long gone and have been replaced with the sanitized safe haven we know as New York today! I grew up with images of New York on TV as a lawless, cold blooded place that you’d be lucky to live through if you were stupid enough to be caught up in it! By todays standards this image has been literally scrubbed clean. Most of the city’s inhabitants will have either forgotten or simply won’t know a time when it was a free for all in terms of widespread crime and unrest as well as creativity that was just as prevalent. I can’t help wonder what it must have been like to be in New York during this era and think about how much of the “soul” has vanished in the clean up that has seen corporate America take root and thrive like the art once did.

Sketch by Stephen Sprouse, 1984

As for the exhibition, personally I would have like to see audio visual components on display alongside the art & design that was there. Music and video would have added another layer to the show, the lack of it being very apparent for me. Still worth a look though!

Anarchy to Affluence: Design in New York, 1974 -1984
Date: January 10th – April 2nd, 2006
Place: The Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries
Address: 66 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Admission Free
Tel: +1 212 229 8919
https://www.parsons.newschool.edu