‘“It kind of sucks here,” said LOVELESS, mid-way through the panel talk. “[But] there’s circumstances that push us to do certain things.”’ - I’ve always thought that dissatisfaction with the status quo + a strong creative impulse is, in fact, what pushes subcultures into existence.
Loved this, Patrick! Always look forward to your insights into HK's culture scene. And your points about subcultures were salient. It's easy to proclaim the death of subcultures when you're not participating or witnessing new ones on an embryonic level, before they even have a name. That early stage is as delicate as it is important.
Interesting angle, Patrick! Reference to Lotta Volkova’s 2016 interview, who, apart from being a stylist for Demna-Sick Balenciaga, was also a co-founder of Vetements. This brand visually defines the street style of the 2010s (remember Miranda Priestly's monologue about the lumpy blue sweater in The Devil Wears Prada).
Subculture aesthetics will always exist as a representation of the maximalism and nihilism of the young hearts. It will never disappear as a necessary step for growing up and forming a healthy way of scepticism towards reality.
However, what Lotta refered to was the genuine authenticity of the subcultures, because every subculture in the past was strongly linked to the literature and music young people listen to: starting from boogie woogie in 40a calling themselves Beatniks (Kerouac and Bukowski were their intellectual tourch) through MOD culture in the early 60s in the UK, sliding through Hippy, Northern Soul, Art Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk, Motown, Goth/New Wave, g
Grunge, Rave, Brit pop…
So the last genuine subculture happened in the mid-2000s as EMO with a reference to the Goth aesthetics of the 80s.
After this, everything froze, because music production became a complete money-making machine, a shop offering uniqueness but forcing trends.
So, now as a vendor of Alt Town, I see what: God thanks, there is a subculture in Hong Kong, but it is heavily clinging to the past. My neighbour vendor 18-year-old girl who listens to the Beatles. The girl across from me: her playlist is Queen, Kate Bush, and ABBA
I watched the goth-looking girl singing to Evanescence like there is no tomorrow.
See, subcultures will always be present, no matter what.
But, the question is - will it be original or adopted from the past?
Loved this :) I started this Substack to explore how the internet has reshaped subcultures. You mentioned the word friction, and I think that’s exactly what the digital world has erased. Before, being part of a subculture required genuine commitment and dedication - It meant scouring obscure shops for the right pieces or travelling hours to places like Brighton just to find people who shared the same philosophy.
Now, the dress codes and communities that once demanded effort can be accessed in seconds through online shopping and social platforms. With that ease comes a certain flippancy, the sense that you can dip in and out of an identity without ever really investing in it.
it’s a shame that money is shuttled to established cultural standards instead of uplifting independent fresh talents. But shoutout to the independent artists maintaining subculture!
‘“It kind of sucks here,” said LOVELESS, mid-way through the panel talk. “[But] there’s circumstances that push us to do certain things.”’ - I’ve always thought that dissatisfaction with the status quo + a strong creative impulse is, in fact, what pushes subcultures into existence.
Yes exactly!!
Loved this, Patrick! Always look forward to your insights into HK's culture scene. And your points about subcultures were salient. It's easy to proclaim the death of subcultures when you're not participating or witnessing new ones on an embryonic level, before they even have a name. That early stage is as delicate as it is important.
exactly!!! thanks Philip - trying to make people more hopeful about the future of culture
obsessed with this graphic!
Thank you Kaila!
Please tell me "one huge dose of copium" is your phrase, Patrick .... NB: as a child of "Syracuse Straightedge", this all makes sense to me.
Wish I could say I invited the word "copium" but unfortunately I did not! https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Copium
Glad this resonated Ben :)
Interesting angle, Patrick! Reference to Lotta Volkova’s 2016 interview, who, apart from being a stylist for Demna-Sick Balenciaga, was also a co-founder of Vetements. This brand visually defines the street style of the 2010s (remember Miranda Priestly's monologue about the lumpy blue sweater in The Devil Wears Prada).
Subculture aesthetics will always exist as a representation of the maximalism and nihilism of the young hearts. It will never disappear as a necessary step for growing up and forming a healthy way of scepticism towards reality.
However, what Lotta refered to was the genuine authenticity of the subcultures, because every subculture in the past was strongly linked to the literature and music young people listen to: starting from boogie woogie in 40a calling themselves Beatniks (Kerouac and Bukowski were their intellectual tourch) through MOD culture in the early 60s in the UK, sliding through Hippy, Northern Soul, Art Rock, Progressive Rock, Punk, Motown, Goth/New Wave, g
Grunge, Rave, Brit pop…
So the last genuine subculture happened in the mid-2000s as EMO with a reference to the Goth aesthetics of the 80s.
After this, everything froze, because music production became a complete money-making machine, a shop offering uniqueness but forcing trends.
So, now as a vendor of Alt Town, I see what: God thanks, there is a subculture in Hong Kong, but it is heavily clinging to the past. My neighbour vendor 18-year-old girl who listens to the Beatles. The girl across from me: her playlist is Queen, Kate Bush, and ABBA
I watched the goth-looking girl singing to Evanescence like there is no tomorrow.
See, subcultures will always be present, no matter what.
But, the question is - will it be original or adopted from the past?
Loved this :) I started this Substack to explore how the internet has reshaped subcultures. You mentioned the word friction, and I think that’s exactly what the digital world has erased. Before, being part of a subculture required genuine commitment and dedication - It meant scouring obscure shops for the right pieces or travelling hours to places like Brighton just to find people who shared the same philosophy.
Now, the dress codes and communities that once demanded effort can be accessed in seconds through online shopping and social platforms. With that ease comes a certain flippancy, the sense that you can dip in and out of an identity without ever really investing in it.
it’s a shame that money is shuttled to established cultural standards instead of uplifting independent fresh talents. But shoutout to the independent artists maintaining subculture!
Have you read W David Marx's new Blank Space (and of course, his Status and Culture)?