Flesh at The Hacienda by Jon Shard

This exclusive print series by Jon Shard captures the energy and exuberance of Flesh—the iconic LGBTQ+ night at Manchester’s Haçienda club during the early 1990s. Shot from within the crowd, Shard’s photographs offer a visceral portrait of the pioneering club night where identity, music, and style collided with extravagant defiance.

“My friends and people around me would discuss it all month. People came from all over, and you had people from Europe coming over for it. It was always packed with energy. It was one of the most important nights there, probably the biggest gay night in Europe. It was always special.”

“I was there for every single one of them. It was the best night to shoot because of the carnival atmosphere. It was colourful; everyone would spend two or three days working out what they would wear for it. Knowing I would get some great images, I always took a lot of film.”