Birth of the party paradise: Glamorous pictures show outrageous club culture in 1980s Ibiza


Ibiza has long been Europe's 'pleasure island' . Decadence rules, whether you're getting legless in San Antonio, raving at Space, or sipping Krug on a super yacht.



The island has a history of hedonism. It was a haven for liberal and alternative Spaniards during Franco's rule. I n the Seventies, it was a key point on the hippy trail. In the Eighties, package holidays, the yacht set and the clubbers arrived.

These photographs, which form part of an ICA exhibition, Ibiza, Moments in Love, were taken by British photographer Derek Ridgers at club Ku in 1984.

Partygoers circa 1984 at Ku, the world's largest outdoor discotheque, built around an Olympic-sized swimming pool

Clubbers at Ku, 1984, showing off their hyper-glamorous Eighties style - it's all about the fishnets, leopard print and spandex



They capture the outrageous club culture that, a couple of years later, entranced four UK DJs including Danny Rampling and Paul Oakenfold.

They were so inspired that on their return to London they launched the club nights Shoom and Spectrum, created acid house and kickstarted the UK dance music industry.



Ibiza in the early 1980s was home to three of the most important nightclubs in the world: Ku was the world's largest outdoor discotheque, built around an Olympic sized swimming pool.



Amnesia was the late night/early morning club where DJ Alfredo played Beethoven, Kate Bush and whatever he liked until the sun came up. Pacha was the local discotheque that became a global superbrand.

Ibiza in the early 1980s was home to three of the most important nightclubs in the world: Ku, Amnesia and Pacha



Raving is hard work: A partygoer in a workout-inspired look takes a well-deserved rest on oversized silver pillows Photographer Derek Ridgers is well known for his club/street culture work. He has documented influential British social scenes such as skinhead, fetish, club, punk and the New Romantics

The ICA exhibition also highlights the work of two visual artists; freehand illustrator and graphic artist Yves Uro, the man behind hundreds of posters for Ku.



The second is Armin Heinemann, the owner of Paula's Ibiza, a maverick fashion boutique based on the island - as you can see from these images, style was a major part of the clubbing experience.



The ICA exhibition also focusses on Armin Heinemann, the owner of Paula's Ibiza, a maverick fashion boutique based on the island - as you can see from these images, original style was a major part of the clubbing experience Photographer Derek Ridgers has snapped everyone from James Brown to The Spice Girls, from Clint Eastwood to Johnny Depp, as well as Tony Blair, gangster 'Mad' Frankie Fraser, artist Julian Schnabel, writer Martin Amis, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood

Uro and Heinemann's work was world class but created solely for local purposes and has rarely been exhibited before.

Photographer Derek Ridgers is well known for his club/street culture work. He has documented influential British social scenes such as skinhead, fetish, club, punk and the New Romantics .

He has also snapped everyone from James Brown to The Spice Girls, from Clint Eastwood to Johnny Depp, as well as Tony Blair, gangster 'Mad' Frankie Fraser, artist Julian Schnabel, writer Martin Amis, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood.

The photographs capture the outrageous club culture that, a couple of years later, bewitched UK DJs, and heavily influenced the British dance music scene

