Thomas Crow's 'The Hidden Mod in Modern Art' Reexamines 1960s British Art Through Mod Subculture

In his 2020 publication, 'The Hidden Mod in Modern Art: London 1957–69,' released by the Paul Mellon Centre, Thomas Crow examines the relationship between British art of the 1960s and Mod youth culture. He posits that the Mod ethos significantly shaped artistic trends, merging elements of fashion, design, music, and visual art. The book opens with a reference to an advertisement for Vince's, a pioneering Mod menswear store located in Soho, as seen in Ark magazine. Roger Coleman, the editor of Ark, later became part of the ICA's exhibitions committee, which organized the 1959 show 'Place' featuring artists Robyn Denny and Richard Smith. Additionally, Crow critiques figures from New Art History, such as T.J. Clark, while advocating for the role of working-class individuals in the capitalist spectacle, tracing London's creative landscape from 1957 to 1969.