The urban tribes, rockers and mods They starred in the well-known “Battle of Brighton” on May 18, 1964, an event that would ultimately serve to further root this type of movement in the young people of the time. But also to become an iconic reference fact in later decades.
A clear example of this is Quadrophenia, a rock opera composed by The Who in which its protagonist identifies with the ideas and customs of the mods. That melody would lead to the film of the same name, directed by Franc Roddam and starring Phil Daniels, released in 1979.
Rockers and mods: A philosophy of life
The film is an icon of the mod movement, and there are unforgettable scenes, almost from the beginning, when Jimmy is surrounded by a band of rockers, who tell him everything. But the most unforgettable image is, without a doubt, the Vespa launch of Ace Face (played by Sting), Jimmy's fallen idol, from a cliff.
The truth is that its premiere in 1979 led to a certain rediscovery of mod culture, which was already out of place at that time. Now, under the framework of the cultural exhibition Chupas & Parkas An attempt is made to review the history of the rockers and mods from the mid-60s to the present day.
The temporary exhibition rooms of the National Museum of Anthropology host, until September 22, an exhibition that traces the paths followed by both urban tribes since the “battle of Brighton” in 1964.
Through this exhibition, the public will be able to follow the paths of rockers and mods from that germinal period to the present day, focusing on its popularization, its revitalization in the late 70s and its roots in Spain from the 1980s onwards.
Rubén Olivares Rosell and Dani Llabrésgreat connoisseurs of both cultures, act as guides in this exhibition, covering a wide route that presents extraordinary objects full of experiences, facilitated by rockers and mods who share their collections.
In addition to the exhibition, in the south room you can see some photographs that the artist Miguel Trillo took in the 80s. A series of images that follow up on those aesthetics: portraits, images with details of clothing, dance scenes and performances musicals.
