This image is a compelling example of late 20th-century graphic art, encapsulating the intersection of countercultural aesthetics and commercial design from an era that revelled in bold introspection and futurist allure. Originally associated with Bastet, a shop based in London’s vibrant Brompton Road, its sharp lines and monochromatic geometry carry echoes of the punk and New Wave movements that emerged in the 1970s and 80s. The image resonates with the era’s fascination with identity, individuality, and conformity—questions that remain strikingly relevant today.
The stark interplay of black and white, along with its piercing composition, captures a striking reflection of the sociocultural shifts of its time. Bastet was known for promoting alternative culture, and this image, with its provocative questioning of identity, embodies that ethos. It serves as an enduring artefact of a transformative period in British subcultural history, offering a tantalising glimpse into its style and ideological preoccupations.
