Manchester Modern
Today we revisit our Manchester Modern project from 2017. The book is long sold out, and is as rare as hen’s teeth now, but you never know, it may return. Never say never. Here’s a bit more information on the project, the book, and those who made it all happen:
In Manchester Modern we presented 111 buildings of the twentieth and early twenty first century lovingly photographed and researched by Richard Brook. It was conceived as a field guide, small enough to fit in your pocket, but weighty enough to know its merit. The book's designer Vaseem Bhatti is an artist of pedigree defining the distinctive visual identity of Warp Records’ Lex Records, and Manchester’s Skam Records.
Manchester Modern was a labour of love. Richard Brook began the project in 1996 with a Samsung compact camera, bought from the Argos catalogue – it had the most features and the most extensive zoom range for the cheapest price. He is honest when he states ‘I had no idea what I was doing’; fortunately, he continued. He knew that his fascination with things others found ugly would be worthwhile one day.
Times caught up with Richard and what he once considered obscure and rare groove is now (as you know) populist and media friendly. Steadily, Richard has built a reputation in academic circles and amongst aficionados as a passionate and informed expert in the architecture of the region and of the provinces. That isn’t to say he doesn’t like London, but there’s an established and ready focus upon the architectural narratives of the capital and a distinct sense that the provinces have long been understudied and underexposed. In Manchester Modern we presented 111 buildings of the twentieth and early twenty first century, lovingly photographed and researched over, as stated, the last twenty years.
Vaseem founded EHQuestionmark and has worked with Richard in one form or another for the best part of fifteen years. This coming together of academic and artist was made possible by the Modernist Society.
The buildings contained in this catalogue have each been visited at least three times by Richard to attain the correct light conditions for his photography. The retrieval of contemporary journal articles in relation to each has meant numerous trips to the RIBA Library in London to access material no longer held in Manchester. The working hours attached to the delivery of the content, let alone the post-editing and design, run into the thousands and in honesty Richard is unable to quantify just what proportion of his life this has consumed.
Three editions were published with a carboard, PVC and concrete covers. It was published by The Modernist Society with the support of 261 crowd fund backers, Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios, Johnny Marr and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
