First published in 1996 by Fiction Inc. in Tokyo, XXGirls is a rare and long out of print collection by photographer and filmmaker Richard Kern. The book gathers his early black and white portraits of women from New York’s downtown art and music scene, capturing the mood and attitude of the city at the time.
 
The series features key figures such as Lydia Lunch, Lung Leg, and Kim Gordon. Shot in Kern’s direct, stripped back style, the photographs feel intimate and honest. There is a sense of closeness in the way he frames his subjects, balancing vulnerability with confidence.
 
Originally published in Japan as a way to present some of the more explicit images from New York Girls to a different audience, XXGirls became its own distinct body of work. The stark black and white gives the book a raw, timeless quality that still feels relevant today.
 
Now considered a cult classic, XXGirls offers an unfiltered look at a defining cultural moment in New York’s underground scene.