The Modernist: #blacklivesmatter

Recent events surrounding the tragic, incomprehensible death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the resulting widespread protests have, as our readers and members will be well aware, sparked important discussions worldwide about the issue of white silence and privilege, cultural diversity and anti-racism.

This has forced us - like the vast majority of cultural institutions and venues across the western world, however big or small - to take a long, hard look at our output and really question whether we are doing enough. And the answer is no. It isn't enough simply not being racist; to be anti-racist we have to make active change, and one obvious, crucial way that we can do so at The Modernist is to shift the focus of our storytelling. We have to push harder for better representation, better inclusion.

From today onwards, we will begin a blog series on our website placing the spotlight on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) within the world of modernism; architects, designers, publishers, artists and their communities. We will do this whilst planning for longer-term projects and events beyond the digital platform. We will continue to research and learn, and we will do our best to challenge the overwhelming whiteness of the subject at hand. 

We hope that you will agree with the importance of this.