Join us for a first look at the powerful “Burning Flags” exhibition by legendary photographer Glen E. Friedman on Sept. 19, 2025. Join us for the first showing of this exhibit in the United States, featuring over 50 photos and oral histories showcasing artists and athletes who shaped the cultural landscape of the hardcore punk, hip-hop and skateboarding scenes. Using striking portraits and uncompromising documentation, this exhibit captures the rebellious spirit that echoes Woody Guthrie’s legacy.
The evening begins with a members-only reception from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., featuring light refreshments and an early chance to view the exhibit and speak with curatorial staff.
At 6:15 p.m., the exhibition opens to the public. Then at 6:30 p.m., join us in the theater for an on-stage conversation with Glen E. Friedman and Danny Boy O’Connor. Friedman will share insights into his work, the cultural icons featured in the exhibition and the stories behind the images, led by questions from O’Connor. The evening will feature a book signing and extended exhibit viewing until 9 p.m.
This one-night-only experience offers a rare opportunity to engage with one of the most influential visual chroniclers of countercultural movements.
Details
5:30 p.m.: Member exhibit preview
6:15 p.m.: Doors open to the public
6:30 p.m.: Glen E. Friedman on-stage conversation with Danny Boy O’Connor
7:30 p.m.: Book signing and gallery viewing
Ticketing
Space is limited. RSVP is required. Seating in the theater is first-come first-served. Overflow seating will be available in the classroom.
About Glen E. Friedman
Glen E. Friedman, universally considered to be one of the most prominent photographers of his generation, is best known for his influential images of rebellious artists from the golden eras of skateboarding, punk and hip-hop. His photographs of key figures such as Fugazi, Black Flag, Public Enemy, Run-D.M.C., Beastie Boys, Ice-T, Bad Brains and Dead Kennedys, as well as skateboarding originators Tony Alva and Jay Adams, among many others, not only cemented the importance of these radical subcultures at their beginnings, but have also become the definitive graphic documents of them today. Friedman’s ubiquitous presence in the early stages of such significant movements allowed him a platform to frame the intense spirit of progression and angst that defined an era. His approach, more incendiary than documentary, has fueled a prolific career: since being first published at age 14 in 1976, he has contributed to countless magazine pages and more than 100 record covers, and has authored more than a dozen books. Friedman’s work is included in numerous world-class institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Morgan Library and Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
About Danny Boy O’Connor
Danny Boy O’Connor is a cultural preservationist, musician, filmmaker, and founder of The Outsiders House Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Best known as a founding member of the multi-platinum hip-hop group House of Pain, O’Connor has reinvented himself as a dedicated curator of American pop culture. In 2016, he purchased the original house used in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders and transformed it into a museum honoring S. E. Hinton’s iconic novel and its film adaptation. Under his leadership, the museum has become a national landmark and educational destination, preserving the legacy of The Outsiders for future generations.
O’Connor is also the co-author of the forthcoming book Staying Gold: The Oral History of The Outsiders (Penguin Books, November 2025), and is currently developing new film and cultural projects rooted in his passion for storytelling and historic preservation.
