Lens (Jenny) photographs and ephemera, 1975-2014; bulk 1976-1980

Printable guide [HTML]
Request items

Summary

Title:
Jenny Lens photographs and ephemera
Dates:
1975-2014; bulk 1976-1980
Creators:
Lens, Jenny, 1950-, Lux Mentis, and Lens, Jenny, 1950-
Abstract:
Photographer Jenny Lens documented the Los Angeles punk rock scene from 1976-1980. This collection primarily comprises photographic materials and ephemera related to LA punk culture from 1976-1980.
Extent:
10.0 linear feet (22 document boxes, 5 flat boxes)
Language:
Materials are primarily in English, some materials in French and Japanese.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Jenny Lens photographs and ephemera (Collection 2442). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains approximately 40,000 photographic materials which include contact sheets, negative strips, proofs, prints, and 35 mm slides created by Jenny Lens to document the first generation of LA's punk scene from 1976-1980. The collection also contains biographical materials which contain personal and administrative papers collected by Jenny Lens related to her photography and artistic production. The biographical materials include portfolio materials and correspondence. The collection also contains ephemera collected, created, owned, and gifted to Jenny Lens. The ephemera includes fanzines, magazines, newspapers, fliers, datebooks, scripts, ticket stubs, and tear sheets that represent Lens' published photography. Additionally, the collection contains published first edition monographs, the majority of which contain Lens' photography and some of which include autographs and inscriptions to Lens. Lastly, the collection contains a drum stick and tambourine.

Biographical / historical:

Jenny Lens, also known as The Girl With the Camera Eye (anointed by Patti Smith), was born and raised in Los Angeles. Len's iconic work documents the first generation of the West Coast punk scene from 1976-1980. Lens captured the evolution of punk culture in Los Angeles at the inception of the movement, and her work represents the viewpoint of one of the few female photographers within the scene. Lens's work has been published in numerous monographs and publications. Jenny Lens earned a BA in Art from California State University and MFA in Design from Cal Arts.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Lux Mentis, 2023.
Processing information:

Processed by CFPRT scholar Chloe Cipolla with assistance from Kelly Besser, Doug Johnson, and CFPRT assistant Kate Ahn, 2025.

Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.

We are committed to providing ethical, inclusive, and anti-racist description of the materials we steward, and to remediating existing description of our materials that contains language that may be offensive or cause harm. We invite you to submit feedback about how our collections are described, and how they could be described more accurately, by filling out the form located on our website: Report Problematic Content and Description in UCLA's Library Collections and Archives.

Arrangement:

This collection has been arranged in the following series:

Series 1: Photographic Materials

Subseries 1.1: Band Files

Subseries 1.2: Small-Format Prints

Subseries 1.3: Large-Format Prints

Series 2: Ephemera

Subseries 2.1 Magazines and Publications

Subseries 2.2 Personal Documents

Subseries 2.3 Music Label Promotional Materials

Subseries 2.4 Memorabilia

Physical / technical requirements:

CONTAINS UNPROCESSED DIGITAL MATERIALS: Digital materials are not currently available for access and will require further processing and assessment. If you have questions about this material please email AskLSC@library.ucla.edu.

Physical location:
Portions of the collection stored off-site. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Chloe Cipolla under the supervision of Kelly Besser and Doug Johnson, 2025.
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-08-21 09:21:26 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Terms of access:

Copyright to portions of this collection has been assigned to the UCLA Library Special Collections. The library can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the copyright. All requests for permission to publish must be submitted in writing to Library Special Collections. Credit shall be given as follows: The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the UCLA Library Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Jenny Lens photographs and ephemera (Collection 2442). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website