Lincoln Castle to host Vivienne Westwood and Jamie Reid exhibition

Iconic footwear and clothing from Vivienne Westwood, and ‘The Sex Pistols Mural’ by radical artist Jamie Reid, will be on display in a special exhibition at Lincoln Castle from next month.

‘Bondage to Liberation: Anarchic Collections’ will arrive at Lincoln Castle on Saturday, August 10 and stay until Saturday, November 16 from 10am-5pm.

Set against the backdrop of Lincoln Castle’s Victorian Prison and the Magna Carta Vault, it includes pieces from the 1970s onwards, from the private collection of Lee Price, and celebrates Vivienne Westwood and Jamie Reid’s legacy of non-conformity throughout the decades.

Tickets are priced at £14 for adults, £11,50 for concessions, £7.50 for children £35.50 for a family ticket, but it is free for annual pass holders. Click here to purchase tickets.

Photo: Lincoln Castle

The exhibition brings together iconic pieces by designer Vivienne Westwood from the private collection of Lee Price and ‘The Sex Pistols Mural’ by radical artist and activist Jamie Reid.

Vivienne Westwood and her team have also included a selection of items to compliment Lee Price’s collection on the theme of human rights and freedom of speech. This includes a handwritten cape which will be exhibited inside the Magna Carta Vault.

The work of Westwood and Reid epitomises a key moment in British cultural history; the 1970’s punk movement.

Westwood opened her first boutique SEX in 1974 with Malcolm Mclaren and later renamed the store Seditionaries in 1976. Around the same time Jamie Reid was protesting social injustices with his now signature ransom note collages.

The pair became infamous for the creation of the punk and new wave aesthetic when the Sex Pistols started wearing many of the items from Seditionaries and commissioned Reid to create artwork for their records, such as ‘Nevermind the Bo***cks’ and ‘God Save the Queen’.

Kimberley Vickers, Lincoln Castle General Manager, said: “We are very excited to see Lincoln Castle’s Victorian Prison transformed into the historic backdrop for this brand new exhibition.

“It includes iconic pieces from the Punk movement onwards and is a celebration of Vivienne Westwood and Jamie Reid’s legacy throughout the decades.

“We are privileged to have the support of Vivienne Westwood and her team, who have also selected items to be displayed in our Magna Carta Vault. It is a must see this Summer.”

Collecting Subversion… The Shoes

Over the last 15 years, Lee Price has built a collection of iconic Vivienne Westwood shoes, choosing them for their innovative design and subversion of mainstream fashion. Westwood’s designs can easily be spotted from afar: vertiginous heels, experimental shapes and exaggerated colours. Traditional materials are used in surprising ways and classic silhouettes are outlandishly reinterpreted.

The collection spans the decades from the 1970s to the present day and includes some classic examples of the innovation and passion inherent in the designer. The exhibition includes the black ‘Spike’ SEX Shoe, the ‘Hammerhead’ shoe and ‘Pirate Boots’. Also on display are several pairs from the Westwood’s own archive.

Collecting Subversion… The Outfits

The collector also holds a selection of key pieces of Westwood clothing collected over three decades. The pieces exhibited tell numerous stories: about him, about collecting and, of course, about a snap shot into Westwood’s career and her influence on fashion. The outfits highlighted in this re-created ‘archive’ trace the evolution of Westwood’s boutiques and signature graphics.

Lee Price said: “All I wanted to do was to work for Vivienne Westwood. Eventually I did and it was a wonderful experience: the people, the history, the politics and manifestos and mostly the amazing customers, lots of them with their own personal stories about their first experience of buying Westwood, so the collection began.”

Collecting Anarchy… Jamie Reid

The British artist and activist’s work and life of rebelling against society’s social and cultural injustices spans over 50 years. Reid has become synonymous with the spirit of British punk with his signature newspaper-cutting graphics. From his collaboration on the Suburban Press (1971-1975) to his support of recent movements such as Occupy London and Pussy Riot, Reid’s work is as relevant today as it has ever been.

The Sex Pistols Mural is considered by Reid as his most important work concerning the Sex Pistols, whose confrontational energy and era-defining imagery continue to enthral. The work was created for a show at the Brixton Gallery in 1984. Reid cleared out the contents of his cupboards and collaged the pieces in situ on the walls of the gallery. The mural is actually the panels of the gallery wall, which Reid wrenched off once the exhibition had finished.