19.28°C Workshops, film screenings and creative activities inspired by punk culture take over Firstsite next weekend as part of the Punk Weekender, celebrating the exhibition Sue Webster: Birth of an Icon.
Taking place on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th May, the programme includes collage workshops, portrait painting, clay-making, clothing customisation and family activities, alongside film screenings and a guided tour of the exhibition.
The weekend begins on Saturday at 10am with Rip It Up!, a free family collage drop-in workshop inspired by the bold imagery found in Webster’s work and the wider world of punk art. The session is led by artist Tom Armstrong, whose cartoons appear in Private Eye. Families can experiment with found images and composition to create their own collaged artwork.
At 11am, the Punk Portraits workshop invites participants to paint a self-portrait before transforming it into a bold punk-inspired image – think big hair, tattoos and heavy eyeliner. The session is guided by Colchester artist Tina Bullen and is suitable for ages 16 and over.
Later in the afternoon, Make a Mini Clay Icon gives participants the chance to create small clay sculptures inspired by personal icons or punk aesthetics. The workshop is led by ceramic artist Lizzie Croucher, who produces pottery under the name Croucherli. Sessions take place at 2.30pm and 4pm and are suitable for ages four and above.
Sunday begins with a Mini Movers & Makers session at 11am, designed for younger children and families. Lisa Eureka’s activities include collaborative artwork inspired by Webster’s installation The Crime Scene, collaging images onto mock bank notes and recreating the sound of Siouxsie and the Banshees using instruments.
At 2pm, visitors can take part in Punkify Your Clothes, a workshop that encourages them to bring their own clothing and customise it with Posca pens and iron-on patches. Jackets, T-shirts, bags or jeans can all be transformed into personalised pieces of wearable art. The session focuses on upcycling clothing and is suitable for ages 14 and over.
The weekend also includes two film screenings connected to punk culture. On Saturday at 5.30pm, Sid and Nancy tells the story of Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols and his relationship with Nancy Spungen. On Sunday at 11.30am, the documentary Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist explores the life and influence of designer Vivienne Westwood.
Visitors can also join a guided gallery tour of the exhibition at 3pm on Sunday, led by Firstsite Visitor Assistant, Jake. The tour lasts around 30 minutes and offers the chance to explore the exhibition through the perspective of the gallery team.
Sue Webster: Birth of an Icon is the artist’s first major solo exhibition following a long collaborative career. The exhibition includes defaced leather jackets, memorabilia, self-portraits, video and installation work exploring themes of identity, art and growing up different.
At the centre of the show is The Crime Scene, an installation Webster has been developing since 2019, which traces her life from her teenage years to the present day. This is the first time the work has been shown outside the artist’s studio.
The Punk Weekender takes place on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th May at Firstsite in Colchester, with a mix of free and ticketed events across the weekend.
