Jonathan
Mortimer, who documented the mod scene for six years, gives a never before seen
look at the scene; in his new photo book ‘The Modernist Revival’.
Out of
Jonathan’s vast photo collection, which has thousands of images, the book
showcases a timeless feel which lets the photos seem as though could have been
taken anytime and "would show a truth about the scene", explains
Jonathan.
The
Modernist Revival shows "the importance of having your own identity"
in the mod scene "whether you do that through your clothes or your music
or what you do with your life."
Jonathan
is also compiling film footage of his time spent in the mod scene and will be
creating a documentary. Production on the documentary begins over the next
couple of weeks, so be on the lookout!
The
photographer introduces us to the weekenders Mod scene of the late 90s, and
explains why not belonging can be more empowering than you’d think…
“I have
never been a Mod, but I have always loved the music, style and ethos of the
movement. It’s a movement some of the die hard Mods believe only really lasted
from 1962 to 1964, then became a step along the development of youth culture
from the Jazz clubs of the 50s, through the Suedeheads to the Football Casuals.
But it
has had various revivals along the way, famously with The Jam and The Who, and
has never really laid down and died. In 1998, I met the mod DJ and founder of
The New Untouchables, Rob Bailey, at a weekender in Brighton and there followed
a seven-year project, documenting the modernist revival scene through stills
and film.
When I
photograph any project, I like to remain an outsider. I feel this way I can
find more truth and translate that into my images. I am very grateful for the
Mods embracing me, and welcoming me onboard without being one of them. On
reflection, this harks back to when I was growing up: I never really belonged
to any scene (although I made a weak attempt at being a faux rude boy for a
while) but I would hang out with various different groups, from Rude Boys to
Goths. I’d flit between them all and it is this, I think, that’s gone towards
my love of photographing people who are passionate about what they do and how
they lay claim to their identity, whether that be through their style, their
beliefs or their whole way of living. I may not be one of them, but I feel like
I understand their motivation implicitly.
My new
book, Modernist Revival, is a small selection of my archive taken from 1998 to
2005. The book centres around the weekenders club scene across Europe, but also
makes reference of the iconic scooter. I’m in the process of planning an
exhibition of the work, and the book is out today.”
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