Martha Burnett-Cooke, Leeds Beckett University
I’m a third year History student at Leeds Beckett University and am interested in public history, youth culture, and the histories of gender and sexuality. Leeds Beckett offers final year students a choice between writing a traditional dissertation and a more creative pathway called the major project. This blog explains why I decided to do a major project, highlighting some key tips and tricks for students who have similar choices, particularly those who want to create an exhibition piece!
I knew that I wanted to research the connections between style, gender and sexuality within Mod, Punk and New Romantic subcultures. I decided to go down the major project route as I felt my topic needed to be seen as much as read. Choosing to produce my work in an exhibition form allowed me to bring these subcultures to life. Their fashion, aesthetics, and attitudes are visually incredibly eye-catching, making the decision to curate an exhibition the most obvious choice. As someone with dyslexia, I found the visual approach much more accessible than an extended piece of writing. It also heled me to sharpen my conclusions as I could view my panels and images together to compare and contrast them. Looking back, the exhibition was also a lot of fun and kept me interested all the way through the project!
My digital exhibition starts by exploring why style matters in youth subculture. Clothing is a powerful form of identity expression and can elevate one’s ability to resist societal norms. It is clear that style was a way that all three subcultures challenged traditional ideas about masculinity, femininity, and queer identity.
The Mods of the 1960’s set the stage for the exploration of diverse identities. Their gender play and ambiguous, vibrant, colourful suits (inspired by queer backgrounds), made space for experimentation with gender expression. Women embraced shorter hemlines and greater freedom, with inspirations such as the designer Mary Quant, the model Twiggy with her boyish femininity, and the designer Biba, whose female trousers and suits were celebrated. Despite queer identities being stigmatised during the 1960s, underground spaces developed for the exploration of gay Mod identities, for example Le Duce in Soho, London.
The emergence of Punk in the 1970s marked a turning point in the wider acceptance of self-expression. Punk was inherently confrontational and anti-establishment. Regardless of gender norms, a DIY ethos allowed punks to dress however they wanted. Women embraced the movement’s refusal to conform, dressing for themselves rather than the male gaze. Through safety pins, ripped clothing, heavy makeup, and second-hand clothing, forms of style rebellion were adopted. The designer Vivienne Westwood challenged taboos surrounding sexuality, and in many cases, punk was welcomed into queer spaces after being rejected by society. Despite this, women still faced misogyny and unequal representations within the scene.
The New Romantics of the early 1980s pushed expression of gender and sexuality further, embracing fluid identities and creating inclusive environments for all. Boundaries between masculinity and femininity were blurred by figures like David Bowie, Boy George, Steve Strange, and their many followers at the famous Blitz Club in London. Through heavy makeup, mixed fabrics, and exaggerated silhouettes, anyone could identify however they wanted, just as long as it was glamorous!
I thoroughly enjoyed the creativity allowed by this project. It helped develop my interest in public history and spoke to my passion for making history accessible. It also gave me an opportunity to apply techniques from existing exhibitions. I was inspired by a visit to the exhibition ‘Blitz: the club that shaped the 80’s‘ to make each of my panels reflect the visual culture of its period.. This enhanced the exhibition’s immersive nature, and I hope it will allow audiences to connect more closely with the periods and the subcultures.
If I could give key advice to anyone considering a similar project, I would say that:
- Start planning early. Considering your information and creatively planning your panels takes longer than you think, so begin your research early so you have plenty of time to review each panel’s content individually.
- Visit physical exhibitions as a form of research and to gather inspiration for your design. I was lucky enough to visit an exhibition very close to my topic, which helped with designing my new romantic panels.
- Use a range of primary and secondary sources, from journal articles, books, newspaper articles from the time, interviews, documentaries, songs, and photographs. Primary sources are crucial for an exhibition piece.
- Do not be afraid to change your focus. As you curate the exhibition and research, you may want to delve deeper into a particular aspect of your topic.
- Make sure you keep separate folders for each topic you are researching. Sometimes you may get confused.
- You can use apps like Canva to design your panels. The platform is easy to use (though I definitely had a few annoying moments)and leads to professional looking results.
- If you have a learning difference, such as dyslexia, embrace the visual approach. Historical research should be accessible to all, and public history is a great way to do this!
- Choose images and artefacts that best convey your argument or point. This makes the visuals link well with the writing.
- Having a good balance of writing and visuals is key. Even though you may tempted to fit more in, it’s crucial to keep panels balanced so the audience does not feel overwhelmed by too much text.
- Keep reminding yourself who your audience will be. This helped me think about how I wanted the visuals to look and how they would link to the time period.
- Get your advisor and other people around you to read your work. This helps you pick up on mistakes and helps you depict how engaging your writing is.
About the author: Martha Burnett-Cooke has just graduated with a First Class Honours degree in History from Leeds Beckett University. She won the Matthew Caygill Prize for the best dissertation or major project.