Ruby Ray - Kalifornia Kool captures the punk, post-punk, industrial and underground art worlds that flourished across California in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Working at the centre of this DIY, anti-authoritarian culture, Ruby Ray photographed a scene where music, art, literature, rebellion and experimentation all collided.
Her photographs, many of which appeared in the legendary "Search & Destroy" and "RE/Search", range from live shows and backstage parties to intimate portraits and chaotic apartments. Along the way, Ray captured figures and bands including the Dead Kennedys, the Mutants, Devo, Throbbing Gristle, the Clash and the Sex Pistols.
Published by Trapart Books in 2019, Kalifornia Kool offers an intimate glimpse into a creatively charged moment on the West Coast, seen through the lens of a photographer who was deeply embedded in it.
