Long before Ibiza’s clubs turned into VIP areas, €400 bottles of vodka, concierged luxury trips and Avicii, Ibiza was a proper alternative hippy hangout. From a 70s refuge from Franco’s tyranny to a bolt-hole for artists, Ibiza always attracted the oddballs long before the Brits took Alfredo’s balaeric music and sold it back to them.
In this forthcoming photographic and illustrative retrospective, the ICA looks at the white island in the mid 80s before its conversion into a global superclubbing destination. Photographs from the iconic Ku Club circa 1984 from Derek Ridgers will be displayed. At the time it was the biggest in the world – it had an Olympic sized swimming pool in the middle and went on to become Manumission. Alongside will be club flyers and graphics, plus contributions from the local Paula fashion boutique making up what looks to be an interesting reminder of the history of the Balearic island.
Cafe Del Mar mainstay Phil Mison and Paul Byrne from testpressing.org have curated the soundtrack.
Ibiza: Moments in Love, at the ICA SW1 27th November – 26th January 2014. Free
Photographs: Ibiza, 1975, from Paula’s Ibiza by Armin Heineman. Ku, 1984 by Derek Ridgers
