{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1153631"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1153631/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EE7488/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EE7488/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EE7488","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JR7633","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1153631/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1153631","accessionNumber":"S.767-1990","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"Jamie Reid archive","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"This screen print was a design for a t-shirt sold in Malcolm McLaren's boutique Sex, and was his first attempt at making a Sex Pistols t-shirt. McLaren took the image of the boy from a gay magazine; explaining his use of the image to author Paul Gorman in a 2008 interview, he described \"the way this boy stood with his cigarette could look like a smoking gun\", relating it to the name of the band. McLaren's t-shirt printing partner, Bernie Rhodes, took offence to the image and refused to print it. Instead, McLaren roped in Glen Matlock, who at the time was an art student and Saturday shop assistant, and forced him to print it at St Martins. Matlock also had reservations, but McLaren threatened to fire him from his job. The t-shirt was printed in a run of between 20 and 40 and the image was later used on a poster for a gig in the Chalet du Lac, Paris, in September 1976.\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Screen print with off-white background, featuring fluorescent pink guitar, and and four images in green of a nude boy with long hair, smoking a cigarette. SEX PISTOLS is printed in dark blue around the guitar.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Malcolm McLaren","id":"A6349"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Glen Matlock","id":"AUTH323995"},"association":{"text":"printer","id":"x30811"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"screen printing","id":"AAT53281"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Screen print on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Advertising","id":"THES49001"},{"text":"Music","id":"THES253065"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2010EE7488","2017JR7633"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES345270"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"print","id":"AAT41273"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1975","earliest":"1975-01-01","latest":"1975-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Jamie Reid","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"79","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"53.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"SEX PISTOLS","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Malcolm McLaren, interviewed by Paul Gorman, October 2008:\n\n\"This was my first attempt at making a Sex Pistols t-shirt. I was acting on behalf of the group at that time. I wanted to create something of a stir and the idea of the group and the name I gave them was that they were sexy young assassins and the way this boy stood with his cigarette could look like a smoking gun.\r\n\r\nThe image of the boy came from a gay magazine, an English one called Boys Express I purchased in Brixton, and the guitar shape was taken using the outline of Glen Matlock's bass.\r\n\r\nBernie Rhodes - who worked with me and printed my t-shirts - was a bit frightened about printing the nude boy image. This was too much for him. He used to perspire at the kitchen table, as if somebody was about to break down the door, charge him with being a paedophile and drag him off to prison. That would be all my fault.\r\n\r\nThen I grabbed Glen Matlock who worked for us on Saturdays and was an art student. \r\n\r\nYouve got a silk-screen printing set up. I know, Ive been to Saint Martins, Ive been there. I want these T-shirts done.\r\n\r\nOooh, if I get caught doing this Ill be slung out.\r\n\r\nDont be stupid. Just tell them its an artwork.\r\n\r\nI dont know about that\r\n\r\nDo this or youre out of this job. Thats it.\r\n\r\nSo eventually I managed to persuade him. He was terrified.\r\n\r\nWe didnt, in any event, produce very many, and they were in quite small sizes. \r\n\r\nI must have made 20,30, not more than 40 shirts in all. I sold them in the store, but at first I gave some away as a way of promoting the band. I would take them to Chelsea Art School or wherever they would be playing and give one to a girl in the audience who looked cool. \"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Colour screen print artwork variant for screen print for T-shirt, designed by Malcolm McLaren, sold in Sex, 430 King's Road, London SW10, November 1975.\r\nAlso used as basis for promotional poster for Sex Pistols concert, Paris, France, September 1976.\r\nJamie Reid archive.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Savage, Jon <i>Englands Dreaming: Sex Pistols & Punk Rock</i> Faber & Faber, 1991, p101\r\nGorman, Paul <i>The Look: Adventures In Rock & Pop Fashion</i> Adelita, 2006, p138"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Artist's proof","id":"THES48869"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Sex Pistols","id":"N7537"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.767-1990"],"accessionNumberNum":"767","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1990,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-19","recordCreationDate":"2010-01-19","availableToBook":true}}