Polaroids capturing the icons of '80s New York nightlife
- Text by Miss Rosen
- Photography by Maripol
In 1977, young stylist and jewelry designer Maripol and her then-boyfriend Edo Bertoglio moved from Paris to New York. The self-described “new pioneers of a decadent decade” fit right into a city that had been abandoned and left to fend for itself, its denizens revelling in the limitless creativity that freedom often brings.
That December, Bertoglio gave Maripol a Polaroid SX-70 camera for Christmas. Long before digital revolutionised the industry, the Polaroid offered instantaneous results, producing a unique print within minutes.
As art director for Fiorucci, the hottest Italian fashion house of the time, Maripol became a fixture on the scene, collaborating with the likes of Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, Keith Haring, Madonna, Sade, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, who went on to star in Downtown 81, a film she produced and art directed.
Sade
Selfie with Grace Jones
“There was a curiosity towards Polaroid. Everyone wanted to know, ‘What is that?’ It’s not like point a camera with a huge lens like Ron Galella. It was more natural,” Maripol remembers.
“Polaroid was great because the next day you could see the photographs. It’s like an imprint of your memory. Imagine if I had been really drunk and I didn’t remember what I did? Then I have the picture!”
As an artist trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Nantes, France, Maripol understood that even “bad” photographs could be transformed into art. “The film was expensive, so if the picture was blurry or the emulsion went bad, I was not going to throw it away,” she says.
Instead, Maripol would paint on her photographs, or cut them up. “Sometimes it was about also pushing the feeling that I had in the moment. If I’m really sad about something, instead of cutting myself I am cutting my face on the Polaroid.”
Robert Latuna
Toukie Smith
Maripol’s alchemical gifts served her well when she founded Maripolitan, an accessory design company, in 1979. She brilliantly repurposed common objects, transforming them into cutting edge trends, like the iconic rubber bracelets made popular by her collaboration with Madonna in the 1980s.
“It was a very free time. Things were less calculated. God, where are those days?” Maripol says.
Though the era has passed, her Polaroids remain as fresh and vibrant as the days and nights they were made. Collected in books which include Maripolarama and Little Red Riding Hood, Maripol’s photographs continue to inspire a new way of seeing the world.
“My photographs are like a journal,” Maripol says, describing the experience of looking back through her archive. “Sometimes, when there are sexy pictures they remind me of the lovers I was with. I see that I enjoyed myself.”
Anya Philips
Maripol selfie
Joey Arias
Follow Miss Rosen on Twitter.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
On the frontlines of Britain’s ’80s protest movements
Protest and Equality — Against a backdrop of Thatcherism, hospital closures and global conflict, photographer Sarah Saunders was a documentarian of the long decade’s effects on society, as well as the communities actively resisting it.
Written by: Miss Rosen
How one of the world’s best big wave photographers & filmmakers gets the perfect shot
Staring down the barrel — Sachi Cunningham has built an immersive body of work documenting huge barrels by getting closer to the action than most. Josh Jones speaks to her about her process, finding order within chaos, and the importance of feeling awe.
Written by: Josh Jones
In photos: The gritty golden age of the UK’s skateboarding scene
Elsewhere — A new book from Science Vs. Life founder Neil Macdonald explores the characters, photographs and ephemera that defined the sport in the ’80s and ’90s, just before the internet and commercialisation changed it forever.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien: “Technology’s evolution on the human psyche is a massive problem”
Blue Morpho — With the release of his second solo album, the songwriter and guitarist explores analogue rawness, spirituality and pulling himself out of a dark place. D’Arcy Doran caught up with him at SXSW to find out more.
Written by: D’Arcy Doran
New film spotlights London’s Bubble Club, the party by people with learning disabilities
Radically inclusive clubbing — Produced by Muddled Marauders and currently fundraising for completion, the feature documentary focuses on the inclusive night, which has been in operation since 2005.
Written by: Roxana Diba
The London passport picture studio that became an unexpected repository of 20th century stars
Passport Photo Service — From Mick and Bianca Jagger to Muhammad Ali and Poly Styrene, the unassuming Oxford Street store was frequented by hundreds of musicians, actors, artists and more over its 70 years of operation.
Written by: Miss Rosen
