Modernism and the pioneers behind the movement in the wake of the First World War planned for a new and better world. There was a rejection of the past and a belief in the future and in technology; a Utopian desire for a healthier life, one more rational and more efficient, ideas about how we live, health and new ideas about the body took centre stage during this time.
Health was seen as a metaphor for a bright new future post war. In practical terms, it meant that buildings, both private and communal, should have modern amenities. These ranged from indoor toilets and hygienic kitchens, to swimming pools, gyms and sun decks, the first leisure centres and sanitoriaums were born during this era.
The connection between health and the body can be seen throughout the mass media and the visual arts. Everywhere there were images of sports men and women, dancers and gymnasts, swimmers and sunbathers. These images were not merely a celebration of health and exercise. Often they had deeper social and political resonances.
