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los angeles: photographs by ann summa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laurie Steelink 310.264.4678
Track 16 Gallery presents
Los Angeles: Photographs by Ann Summa
curated by Kristine McKenna
November 17 through December 15, 2007
4 October, 2007, Santa Monica—Track 16 Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of photographs by Ann Summa. Curated by Kristine McKenna, the show will be on view from November 17 through December 15, 2007, with an opening reception on November 17 from 6 to 9 P.M. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 to 6.
A graduate of Beloit College, Ann Summa was returning from five years in Sierra Leone, Africa, and Tokyo, Japan when she landed in the midst of L.A.’s newly-born punk scene in 1978. She immediately recognized that she had stumbled onto something extraordinary and began documenting the people around her. Summa captured some of the best known bands to emerge from L.A. while they were still in their infancy—X and Black Flag, among others—and bands who went on to achieve legendary status despite the brevity of their existence, including the Germs and the Screamers. Also on view are images of the Bags, the Alleycats, the Cramps, and the Suburban Lawns. Summa captured the many out-of-towners who passed through L.A.’s first generation punk community; the Bush Tetras and Lydia Lunch from New York; U.K. punk royalty Joe Strummer and John Lydon; and, two of punk’s unofficial godfathers, Iggy Pop and William Burroughs.
All but four of the photographs in the exhibition are previously unpublished. Taken between the years 1978 and 1984, and drawn from a recently published limited edition portfolio of 35 images, the photographs showcase the first chapter of what’s been a long and varied career for Summa. She’s worked extensively in Mexico, where she maintains a second home, and has photographed hundreds of musicians, from metal-heads to country stars, over the past 25 years. Her work has been seen in dozens of magazines, both domestic and international, such as Rolling Stone, Travel and Leisure, to name a few. Summa is currently collaborating with her husband, journalist Jeff Spurrier, on Sacred Faces, a book celebrating various spiritual traditions around the world. A book of Summa’s punk photographs will be published by Greybull Press in 2008.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Brendan Mullen will be presenting and signing his latest book, “Live at the Masque: Nightmare in Punk Alley” on Saturday, December 8 at 8 PM. http://track16.com/track16nights_future.html. On Saturday, December 15 at 7 PM we will have a closing reception featuring punk bands:
HUMAN HANDS
MIKE WATT + MISSINGMEN
PHRANC
CHAIRS OF PERCEPTION (Formerly the URINALS)
DEADBEATS
more bands to be announced. For more information, please visit our website at archive.track16.com.