Harriet Atkinson

He is/was very keen on reminding people of that link!

So it’s still a surprise to me that it’s here at all and it’s really lovely to have this recognition. Thank you to the HBA!

As with any major academic project, I lived a lot of life in and out of making this book. I started planning towards it with three primary-aged children and researched and wrote it during the pandemic, with libraries and archives closed and children at home.

I’m so grateful to all the many people who helped me to shape, write and pay for it at Manchester University Press, the AHRC and University of Brighton, where I’m fortunate to be surrounded by truly brilliant colleagues.

Showing Resistance is the first book about exhibitions as political communications in mid-twentieth century Britain, shaped by a generation of central and eastern artists, designers and architects in exile. The book is published open access, and available to download at Manchester Hive.

I am very happy that my book Showing Resistance (Manchester University Press, 2024) has won the 2026 Historians of British Art (HBA) @hba-caa.bsky.social award for outstanding research in the period 1800-1960.

At the Isokon Gallery on 20 Nov. A new short film which explores the twentieth-century designer FHK Henrion, a German-Jewish émigré, displaced many times before arriving in Britain. Followed by a discussion with the directors Sue Breakell and Harriet Atkinson.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/designing-...

A fantastic screening yesterday evening of ‘Designing from Home’, a short film about the designer FHK Henrion, followed by a discussion with directors Harriet Atkinson and Sue Breakell.

DESIGNING FROM HOME - OFFICIAL TRAILER Directed by HARRIET ATKINSON & SUE BREAKELL Produced by HUGH HARTFORD ARCHIVE AGI Alliance Graphique Internationale  The Estate of Ferenc Berko   The…

Designing from Home: A new short film by design historian @harrietatkinson.bsky.social & Design Archives Director @suebreakell.bsky.social uncovers the domestic space which shaped the life & work of renowned graphic designer & German-Jewish emigrant FHK Henrion (1914-1990)
vimeo.com/1133125381?s...

PhD studentships AHRC Landscape Award Funding for PhDs in the arts and humanities. Apply now for an AHRC Landscape award at the University of Brighton.

We have three funded PhD studentships going at Brighton for projects in the arts, architecture and humanities, to start next autumn. Please do get in touch if you’re interested in discussing a potential project. www.brighton.ac.uk/research/pos...

Job Vacancy at the University of Brighton: Research Fellow in History of Design (0.2 full-time equivalent) Join a new International Research Project on Graphic Design and Creative DissentWe’re looking for a Research Fellow in History of Design to join the international team responsible for the research pro...

Come to work with me as Research Fellow in the international team for our new project Graphic Design Histories for Creative Dissent!

Deadline for applications is 7.9.25
jobs.brighton.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

Poster which says “De l’argent pour Hitler c’est la guerre en Europe! [Money for Hitler means war in Europe] and depicts an outline of a figure in a black short and with Hitler’s characteristic hair and moustache with a swastika on the shirt, standing next to a stylised heavy artillery howitzer style gun. Image ref: MSS.159/3/C/A/140

The International Transport Workers Federation ‪‪@itfglobalunion.bsky.social‬ have a long history of fighting against oppression and fascism – explore their fascinating history in our online exhibition: warwick.ac.uk/services/lib...

I’m really looking forward to participating in this workshop - Political Prisoners and Transnational Solidarity during the c20th - at University of Trento in mid-September

eventi.unitn.it/en/political...

Job Vacancy at the University of Brighton: Research Fellow in History of Design (0.2 full-time equivalent) Join a new International Research Project on Graphic Design and Creative DissentWe’re looking for a Research Fellow in History of Design to join the international team responsible for the research pro...

Come to work with me as Research Fellow in the international team for our new project Graphic Design Histories for Creative Dissent!

Deadline for applications is 7.9.25
jobs.brighton.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

New international research project to explore history of graphic design for street protest

I’m delighted to be part of the team for this new research project, exploring graphic objects of street protest for global movements

www.rca.ac.uk/news-and-eve...

Alex Todd & I are co-chairing the Design History Society sponsored panel at CAA in Chicago 2026 on DESIGN ACTIVISM AS REPETITION, RECONSTRUCTION AND REINVENTION.

Please consider submitting an abstract caa.confex.com/caa/2026/web...

ART ON THE STREETS - TRAILER Art on the Streets is a new documentary created by design historian Harriet Atkinson and filmmaker Jane Dibblin, narrated by Michael Rosen, animated by Kate Bilbow,…

On this World Refugee Day, celebrating the strength of people forced to flee their homes, I invite you to watch my film Art on the Streets (co-directed w/ Jane Dibblin) zealous.co/harrietatkin... which tells the story of refugee artists’ creativity in Britain in the midst of World War Two

NEW book review! Jonathan M Woodham reviews Showing Resistance: Propaganda and Modernist Exhibitions in Britain, 1933-53 by Harriet Atkinson. Read now at academic.oup.com/jdh/advance-...

Studentship available to study MA Curating Collections and Heritage. Deadline 30th June 2025.

Open to applicants from the African or Asian diaspora or a marginalised ethnicity. The course is a collaboration between Brighton & Hove Museums and University of Brighton. Further info: lnkd.in/e8CJhtey

Report | Domesticity Under Siege conference, 2-4 April 2025 Aurore Damoiseaux – PhD student and co-lead of CDH research strand ‘Fashion & Dress Histories’ – reflects on the recent international conference Domesticity Under Siege, organised by CDH …

Aurore Damoiseaux reflects on the Domesticity Under Siege conference @uniofbrighton.bsky.social, including our own Sue Breakell & @harrietatkinson.bsky.social who presented their new film about designer FHK Henrion. Read more here:
blogs.brighton.ac.uk/centrefordes...

‘All Eyes on Her!’: Reclaiming Egyptian Womanhood in This London Show This exhibition at Horniman Museum calls for the reclamation of Egyptian artefacts, as well as our narrative.

New exhibition now open @hornimanmuseum.bsky.social part of our @ukri.org AHRC project Mobilising Collections for Institutional Change

scenenow.com/ArtsAndCultu...

Held at the V&A in 1946, Britain Can Make It set out to position Britain at the forefront of global industrial design. One of the exhibits we discuss is this electric bike prototype, designed by Benjamin Bowden.

S2:E6 Britain can make it, 1946 Shows that Go On · Episode

I really enjoyed talking to Malika Brown about the Britain Can Make It exhibition for her podcast series Shows That Go On, about why some exhibitions are still talked about long after they’re over.

Link here: open.spotify.com/episode/55Dq...

Event | Book Launch: Art, Feminism, and Community and Showing Resistance, 29 April 2025 Book Launch: Art, Feminism, and Community and Showing Resistance, 29 April 2025 The Centre for Design History is proud to announce new books by its members, Ceren Özpınar and Harriet Atkinson. Join…

Book Launch: Art, Feminism, and Community and Showing Resistance, 29 April 2025.

Join us for a joint book launch on 29th April 5.30pm, University of Brighton (City Campus), M2, Grand Parade Main Building: 58–67 Grand Parade, BN2 0JY

Free and open to all.

blogs.brighton.ac.uk/centrefordes...

Studentship available to study MA Curating Collections and Heritage. Deadline 30th June 2025.

Open to applicants from the African or Asian diaspora or a marginalised ethnicity. The course is a collaboration between Brighton & Hove Museums and University of Brighton. Further info: lnkd.in/e8CJhtey

Creative Commission: Archives and Advocacy | Job A commission for an artist or designer to be 'archivist in residence' at radical Brixton based youth organisation The Advocacy Academy to contribute to thinking and practice around the power of the ar...

I’m so happy to be part of this project about activating archives for advocacy with The Advocacy Academy, Clare Cumberlidge & Royal College of Art. We’re looking for an artist/designer to work with us this summer. Please share with anyone who might be interested!

www.artsjobs.org.uk/jobs/search/...

ART ON THE STREETS - TRAILER Art on the Streets is a new documentary created by design historian Harriet Atkinson and filmmaker Jane Dibblin, narrated by Michael Rosen, animated by Kate Bilbow,…

And film Art on the Streets, about exhibitions as activism during World War Two (trailer here: vimeo.com/833778781)

Lots of links with my work on exhibitions as activism as explored in my book Showing Resistance: propaganda & modernist exhibitions in Britain, 1933-53 (free to download here: www.manchesterhive.com/display/9781...)

I really enjoyed seeing Resistance, the new exhibition at Turner Contemporary Margate @turnercontemporary.bsky.social a wonderful show of photographs documenting 20th c British protest movements.

Mughals at the V&A is utterly breathtaking! Highly recommended