Bill Bernstein: Studio 54 Couple, 1977

“The Disco, in New York City from 1977–1979, was a haven for acceptance and inclusion. It was much more than celebrities, drugs, and music—The Disco was a state of mind. These were the post-Stonewall, post–Saturday Night Fever, and pre-AIDS years. For a brief period of time, The Disco offered a place where everyone—White, Black, Hispanic, Straight, LGBT, Young, Old, Famous or Not-So-Famous—could meet up and dance their ‘Victory Dance’ without judgment or prejudice. It was a safe space where you could be whoever you wanted to be. It was this sense of freedom of expression that drew me to document these clubs, for this short two-year period, with my camera. I didn’t understand it then, but I now believe that this era was a short-lived preview of a world of inclusion that we are just now beginning to bear witness to. With this in mind, the time feels right for a look back at this unique moment in time.”—Bill Bernstein

This image depicts two of the “regulars” at Studio 54, who would dress in different costumes on different nights. This photo was taken on Bill Bernstein’s first night of many at discos from 1977 to 1979. The couple inspired his work because they reminded him of a pre-war Berlin cabaret couple, and he used them as a muse as he continued his journey to explore different clubs.

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