the modernist magazine issue #52 NUCLEAR

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new issue | nuclear

With this issue of the modernist, we are going NUCLEAR, and whilst we hope it’s an explosive issue, we also hope there is no fallout from our decision.

Although the power of atomic, and subsequently nuclear, energy only came of age halfway through the twentieth century, its invention and ominous presence dominated the second half of that century—both geopolitically and ideologically. Initially embraced as the epitome of modernity, its unbridled destructive power meant it transformed from a useful servant into an aggressive master, and the early, almost cartoonish image of its capabilities gave way to a more apocalyptic vision.

We look at both the visual culture that grew up around nuclear energy and some of the epic infrastructure that the harnessing of its energy necessitated. Michael Trainor takes us through some of his collection of popular cultural artefacts that depicted the apocalypse, and Isobel Macgregor shares some of her postcards that depict nuclear power in both a positive and negative light.

Infrastructure is represented by beautiful photo essays from Martine Hamilton Knight, who gets inside Nottingham War Rooms, Peter Williams, who looks at nuclear power stations in the landscape, and Nigel Green, who gets deep inside Dungeness power station.

Also, no self-respecting publication on the theme of NUCLEAR could ignore Chernobyl, and Alka Murat takes us around Pripyat, the city that served the neighbouring power plant.

Issue 52 will also be the last edited by Ashiya Eastwood as she is leaving us for pastures new. Since joining us in 2019, she has guided the modernist through twenty issues and many changes. the modernist would not be what it is today without her, and we are very grateful for her part in our story. Thank you Ashiya, you will be greatly missed.

60 pages b&w and colour200mm x 200mmPerfect bound

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