Shaping a generation: New exhibition revisits mod culture 55 years later

Portraits show members of the highly fashionable subculture in 1964 and 2019

Sporting parka jackets, riding Vespa scooters and dancing to The Yardbirds with the aid of amphetamines, the Mods epitomised the youth fashion scene of the early Sixties.

From April 13, Leicester will be remembering the subculture with an exhibition of clothing and artwork in the city’s New Walk Museum and Art Gallery. A second exhibition in June will show portraits taken of Mods in 1964 alongside ones taken this year.

1964 is the year when Mods were at the height of their notoriety, following media coverage of their violent clashes on England’s south coast with the Rockers, a rival scene that favoured leather jackets and motorcycles to boutique clothing and Vespas.

In 2019, the aged Mods remain tied to their early days. “Even today I still feel like one even though I probably don’t look like one any more,” says Ann Barry, who features in the portrait exhibition.

These exhibitions form part of the Shaping A Generation project which celebrates the Mod culture of Leicester and Nottingham through a variety of media and events.

Both cities have their stake in Mod history. Leicester was home to the famed Il Rondo dancehall while Nottingham had the Dungeon Club, where The Who regularly performed.

Shaping a Generation runs from April 13 to June 30 at the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery in Leicester.