Alex Brown on designing, editing, and funding his self-published publication Modernism in the UK

Initially started as a project during the first COVID-19 lockdown, Modernism in the UK by UK-based graphic designer Alex Brown, displays a collection of over 1,000 British trademarks and symbols – dating from the post-war, pre-internet era of 1945-1991. Rather than serving as a reference manual or nostalgia trip, the book aims to provide an astute reminder of capitalism’s effects on modernism – both highlighting the ephemeral nature of modern life in the UK and also providing a critique of corporate culture and the design industry’s complicity within it. We spoke to Alex about the development of the book and his key takeaways from the project. PT: Hi Alex! How are you doing? AB: I’m doing well! Thank you for featuring my project. It’s really exciting to be surrounded by so much great creative talent on your site.