Remember what I said about my new town, Reading, being full of surprises?
Well I have been looking forward to visiting
Reading Steady Go, an exhibition about 1960s Mod culture, since I saw Reading town centre taken over by a massive and spectacular scooter parade when the exhibition opened back in early April. Reading Steady Go is one of the first exhibitions ever held about provincial Mod culture.
The late 1950s and 1960s were a time of huge change in the UK. The post war recovery was in full swing - towns were evolving and being modernised, the economy was improving, rationing had stopped and for the first time people had more disposible income and leisure time. Some class divides began to dissolve, things that were previously regarded as upper-class symbols began to be appropriated by the working-classes. It was also a time of increasing political awareness. This cutural climate led to growth of youth culture, with many young people identifying with different groups such as beatniks, Teddy Boys or Modernists, known as Mods.
Reading Steady Go documents these changes through curated diary entries and associated picture and artifacts.
There is a huge collection of photographs showing 1960s Reading - everything from local industries, like Sutton Seeds and Huntley and Palmers biscuits to plans for the 1960s redevelopment of the civic and shopping centre. Photos depict the role Reading played with the anti-nuclear marches that went between London and Aldermaston to the opening of 'Richard Marks' - Reading's first 'Carnaby Street' style boutique.
The walls are adorned with fabulous music publicity posters.
This beautiful jukebox is full of Mod classics and is perfect working order and visitors are encouraged to choose tracks and fill the exhibition with music.
(I chose Guns of Navarone by The Skatalites.)
And there are other tastes of many aspects of Mod culture.
From fashion...
to those oh-so-defining hair cuts...
and a taste of 1960s domesticity in a recreated teenage Mod's bedroom.
There is also vintage film, audio interviews with Reading residents, even a working pinball machine.
Despite not being a large as I expected (the exhibition has a number of big name sponsors like Liam Gallagher's Pretty Green and the Reading Festival) it is a really interesting and interactive experience. As I continued to look around I found numerous things catching my eye that I hadn't spotted before. What it lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in attention to detail and depth of subject. I found out a huge amount about 1960s life and certainly learnt that Mod culture wasn't the cliche it is often depicted to be, confined to London and the cities.
Many thanks to Reading Museum and the curators of Reading Steady Go for allowing me to take these photographs and share them on here
