PUNX DEFEKTUOZOZ

This is a documentary project—both in photography and a film in progress—that portrays the punk scene in Mexico City in the 1980s and 1990s. It seeks to examine its political and social origins, the relevance of appropriation and cultural fusion, both characteristics of the punk movement in Mexico, the current situation of its figures, the changes undergone by the movement, and its legacy for the future. This documentary is the first collaboration between visual artists Dr. Lakra and Laureana Toledo, who were very close to the punk scene in 1980s and 1990s in Mexico City. The documentary draws a parallel between the changes that occurred in Mexico City simultaneously to the punk movement. This documentary is set against the political and social scenery of Mexico in the 1980s and 1990s: land dispossession, migration from the periphery in places like Neza, the aftermath of the 1968 and 1971 movements, the 1985 earthquake, police repression, PRI morality, and more.

We focused on approaching political and social issues and identifying where all these figures are today, their whereabouts, what happened to all that transformative energy, and their nowadays means of resistance. There are many ways to embody disobedience, and today's ways are very different from what they were then. Many second-generation punks became much more politicized and continue to participate in social activities. A great deal of others continue to advance their musical endeavors, recording and releasing albums. All of them continue to resist being pigeonholed, manipulated, and co-opted by the government. The majority of the interview questions implicitly address these themes when they speak about the neighborhoods they grew up in, their families occupations, and what repressions they formerly lived at the city. Other interviews express how difficult it was to access music, information, and culture back then, especially in the marginalized neighborhoods where almost all of them grew. Further interviews compare the contrast of options young people have presently compared with those of then, and how this abundance of choice has shaped the way young people relate to each other and the city very differently. The lack of resources and opportunities made the punk movement truly DIY (do it yourself). Poverty and misery sometimes have their advantages.