Capturing the punks and poets of ’70s California
- Text by Miss Rosen
- Photography by Michael Jang

Hailing from California, Michael Jang came of age during the 1970s. Over that decade, the photographer would amass several series of work, including The Jangs (1973), Beverly Hilton (1973), San Francisco (1973–1987), College (1972–1973), and Punks & Poets (1978–1980).
However, although he has been working as a portrait photographer ever since, Jang never showed anyone his work from this period until he submitted selections to San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art in 2001.
“The museum had a drop off policy and I remember thinking I had nothing to lose,” Jang says. “The work was already three decades old, so I no longer had any emotional attachment or investment in it. But the lesson is you have to keep trying to get your work out there. You never know who will see it and what might happen.”
SFMOMA Curator Emerita Sandra Phillips saw Jang’s work and took a hand in getting it out, curating the new exhibition Michael Jang’s California and writing the introduction to the monograph, Who Is Michael Jang? (Atelier Editions).

AUNTS AND UNCLES, 1973

DAVID BOWIE SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS, 1973
The story begins at home. Growing up in a middle-class family, Jang’s father assiduously documented their lives with a camera and super-8 film. “Maybe your parents do influence you,” Jang says. “My dad loved documenting his family. He used to let me finish the last shot or two on a roll of film. That was the start.”
The Jangs became a natural subject for the budding photographer to begin his explorations. From there, Jang fashioned fake press passes so he could attend Hollywood events, debutante balls, and eclectic conventions at the Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills. As a self-proclaimed photographer for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and The San Francisco Chronicle, Jang enjoyed the opportunity to freely photograph everyone, from David Bowie to Ronald Reagan.
“I don’t think I would try that now – youthful mischievousness then could be a misdemeanour now,” Jang says. “It wasn’t just about fake credentials though. I would have hopped a fence or sneaked in the back door too. Whatever it took. I just knew how to make an evening interesting for myself.”
That, ultimately, is the secret to Jang’s work. He is having the time of his life, whether whipping out a camera in the men’s room or kicking back with friends at Cal-Arts. “Ideas and advice which may have worked five decades ago might not be relevant for the current generation,” Jang says. “It really comes down to just working and enjoying the journey. There is no magic pill.”

SELF-PORTRAIT, FINANCIAL DISTRICT SAN FRANCISCO, 1973

COUPLE AT THE LAWRENCE WELK DANCE, 1973

RAMONES FREE CONCERT, CIVIC CENTER PLAZA, 1979

LUCY WATERING AT NIGHT, 1973

FRANK SINATRA, MARCH OF DIMES “MAN OF THE YEAR,” 1973

LIVING ROOM SCENE, 1973

KYLO KYLO PLAYING TRUMPET WITH SAMI CAMPBELL WATCHING OUTSIDE THE CALARTS DORM, 1973
Michael Jang’s California is on view at McEvoy Foundation for the Arts in San Francisco through January 18, 2020.
Follow Michael Jang on Instagram.
Follow Miss Rosen on Twitter.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck

Meet the trans-led hairdressers providing London with gender-affirming trims
Open Out — Since being founded in 2011, the Hoxton salon has become a crucial space the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Hannah Bentley caught up with co-founder Greygory Vass to hear about its growth, breaking down barbering binaries, and the recent Supreme Court ruling.
Written by: Hannah Bentley

Gazan amputees secure Para-Cycling World Championships qualification
Gaza Sunbirds — Alaa al-Dali and Mohamed Asfour earned Palestine’s first-ever top-20 finish at the Para-Cycling World Cup in Belgium over the weekend.
Written by: Isaac Muk

New documentary revisits the radical history of UK free rave culture
Free Party: A Folk History — Directed by Aaron Trinder, it features first-hand stories from key crews including DiY, Spiral Tribe, Bedlam and Circus Warp, with public streaming available from May 30.
Written by: Isaac Muk

Rahim Fortune’s dreamlike vision of the Black American South
Reflections — In the Texas native’s debut solo show, he weaves familial history and documentary photography to challenge the region’s visual tropes.
Written by: Miss Rosen

Why Katy Perry’s space flight was one giant flop for mankind
Galactic girlbossing — In a widely-panned, 11-minute trip to the edge of the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘Women’s World’ singer joined an all-female space crew in an expensive vanity advert for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland explains its apocalypse indicating signs.
Written by: Emma Garland

Katie Goh: “I want people to engage with the politics of oranges”
Foreign Fruit — In her new book, the Edinburgh-based writer traces her personal history through the citrus fruit’s global spread, from a village in China to Californian groves. Angela Hui caught up with her to find out more.
Written by: Katie Goh