History
New exhibition highlights British radical living over 200 years
Earthly Paradise — Taking place at the William Morris Gallery, it explores the homes and lives of artists, writers, musicians and more, as well as the conditions that allowed them to thrive.
Written by: Isaac Muk
In photos: Electric nights in ’70s Japan
Tokyo–Koza — Keizō Kitajima’s new photobook explores the explosion of party culture of Tokyo and Okinawa during an era of rapid change in the country, as well as its stranger turns.
Written by: Miss Rosen
The London sword fighters reviving medieval combat
Schola Gladitoria — Studying ancient textbooks and techniques, the historical European martial arts community duel with centuries old systems of engagement. Mads Jensen swings a blade in an Ealing church to find out more.
Written by: Mads Jensen
Historic photographs from the heyday of the Black press
Black Photojournalism — A new book immortalises the work of 57 Black photographers reporting in the mid-20th century for Black newspapers and magazines. Covering the Civil Rights Movement, Jesse Jackson and more, the pictures are part history, part art.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Glaswegian life, captured over 80 years of redevelopment and flux
Still Glasgow — An expansive new GoMA exhibition, curated by Katie Bruce, explores culture and people in the Scottish city, from its post-war tenement communities to its busking musicians.
Written by: Zoe Whitfield
In photos: The colourful, foreboding techno-optimism of the ’90s
A Visual History — Henry Carroll’s new book traces the roots of unfettered, present-day neoliberalism through images from the 20th century’s final decade, raising questions about how we arrived at where we are today.
Written by: Miss Rosen
25 years ago, Reflections in Black changed photography
A History of Black Photographers — Deborah Willis’s photobook anthologised pictures made by James Van Der Zee, Anthony Barboza and other groundbreaking Black photographers from when the medium was invented. A new edition updates it with 21st century contributions.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Sombre, tender photos of final goodbyes during the Harlem Renaissance
Harlem Book of The Dead — As one of the very few Black photographers operating in the 20th century, James Van Der Zee’s sepia-tinged archive remains a crucial documentation of New York’s African American history. Now, one of his classic books, capturing funeral culture, is back in print.
Written by: Miss Rosen
A visual trip through 100 years of New York’s LGBTQ+ spaces
Queer Happened Here — A new book from historian and writer Marc Zinaman maps scores of Manhattan’s queer venues and informal meeting places, documenting the city’s long LGBTQ+ history in the process.
Written by: Isaac Muk
New documentary revisits the radical history of UK free rave culture
Free Party: A Folk History — Directed by Aaron Trinder, it features first-hand stories from key crews including DiY, Spiral Tribe, Bedlam and Circus Warp, with public streaming available from May 30.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The weird, wild and forgotten history of Leicester Pride
From Michael Jackson superfans to far-right organising, the overlooked story of Leicester’s inaugural Pride march is a reminder of the power of collective resistance in the face of bigotry.
Written by: Liz Yeates
A brief history of the Molotov cocktail
Underdog's grenade — Unlike armed insurgency, a Molotov – also known as a petrol bomb – is more likely to damage property than it is to kill people. Writer James Stout considers its legacy of anti-fascist action and its unique place in protest movements.
Written by: James Stout
