Upcoming Book ‘Showboat: Punk, Sex, Bodies’ Revealed Whilst Entering A Dark Political Age

The upcoming book ‘Showboat’ edited by Toby Mott explores punks progressive portrayal of sexual liberation through posters and contributors, from the movements most legendary pioneers. Due for release on the 1st September at New York Art Book Fair, Mott owns the largest punk archive in the world; soon to be on display to the public. 

The British punk movement was an extremely political one, and the release date on this book also collides with a dark political climate. It illustrates that people still have the capability to be shocked, even though we may feel like we live in a progressive world. How the public reacted to Brexit or the rise of Donald Trump all reflect this,‘people are looking back as if the past was great with safe morals’. The timing of the book parallels with the punk movement, when politics turns progressively right, creativity always responds. 

‘Showboat’ will include posters and articles from Motts collection as well as over 60 other contributors, including Richard Prince and The Sex Pistols, Paul Cook. 

Mott states, ‘The title, Showboat, conjures the image of a self-contained theatre of flamboyant exhibitionists, moving along the river of time; an appropriate image, considering the way in which punk facilitated an approach to sex and sexuality which was brash, outlandish, and theatrical.’ Punk was the first subculture to explore the binary framework of sexuality and gender, championed by British Legends such as Vivienne WestWood and Malcolm McLauren, Mott investigates this advent through excellent visuals and narration. 

Pre- order your copy now HERE.