ModTEXAS documents examples of midcentury modernism on Instagram.
Founded in 2018 to support preservation organizations that promote and protect midcentury modern architecture, the group known as modTEXAS has joined forces with Houston Mod, Mid Tex Mod and Docomomo US NTX to launch an interactive Instagram initiative called Putting Texas Modernism on the Map.
The project challenges Instagram users to contribute to the cause by documenting examples of notable midcentury design and architecture they encounter throughout the Lone Star State. Participants simply need to photograph the subject, whether a well-known work or a hidden gem, and post the image–based on varying monthly themes such as “residential architecture” and “interiors”–using the hashtag #modtexas. (Monthly themes can be found at Facebook.com/groups/modTEXAS or Instagram.com/modTEXAS.)
The project’s goal is to inspire Texans to unite and ensure the state’s unique midcentury inventory is protected for future generations to enjoy, while also encouraging engagement with local preservation groups. By rallying a coalition of Instagramming midcentury enthusiasts, artists, architects, designers, history buffs, photographers and preservationists–and, ultimately, Texans who know their neighborhoods and back roads the best–modTEXAS promises to yield a robust digital documentation of the midcentury architecture and design elements that imbue the region with so much history and flair.
