Postmodernism Definition |
| Feb 16 2012 |
| {Articles >> Art History - Theory} |
 |
| Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party |
Postmodernism encompasses a philosophical, political, and aesthetic shift away from modernism in the 1970s and 1980s. The term postmodernism is used in almost all disciplines, but here we are discussing the definition of postmodernism in the areas of art, design, and architecture.
Postmodernism is a challenging and elusive concept for the art student. While some artworks may seem easy to categorize as "postmodern" by their mix of imagery and their date of creation, others evade categorization. Postmodernism rejects the firm definitions of Modernism; this evasion from definition can easily exasperate the student when asked on an exam to "define postmodernism".
On the one hand, Postmodernism is best understood in relation to modernism, as it is largely a reaction to and rejection of modernist ideals. While the term "modern" might evoke images of minimalist, reductive architecture (like the Sears Tower), modern art in itself is eclectic and heterogeneous. It is not always simple to draw a dividing line between Modernist and Postmodernist Art. Modern art tends to emphasize a separation between "fine art" and "low art", or "high culture" and "mass culture." Postmodernist art, with its desire to deconstruct/challenge/confront these boundaries, is free to juxtapose non-traditional media and images.
On the other hand, Postmodernism has to be considered in a broad academic context. Postmodernism signals the deconstruction of cultural meaning and the abstract politicization of cultural expression. For example, one postmodern artwork might express a feminist topic in an abstract or complex manner (Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party) while another might subvert recognizable traditional symbols into new metaphors for feminist questions (Miriam Shapiro's Anatomy of a Kimono).
Postmodern artists "share a healthy suspicion of all traditional truth claims and value standards, all hierarchical authority and institutions." (Gardner, Art Through the Ages 13th ed, p. 987)
"For many recent artists, postmodernism involves examining the process by which meaning is generated and the negotiation or dialogue that transpires between viewers and artworks. This kind of examination of the nature of art parallels the literary field of study known as critical theory. Critical theorists view art and architecture, as well as literature and the other humanities, as a culture's intellectual products, or 'constructs.' These constructs unconsciously suppress or conceal the true premises that inform the culture, primarily the values of those politically in control. Thus, cultural products function in an ideological capacity, obscuring, for example, racist or sexist attitudes When revealed by analysis, the facts behind these constructs, according to critical theorists, contribute to a more substantial understanding of artworks buildings, books, and the overall culture." - Gardner, Art Through the Ages 13th Ed, p. 987
Tags: Post Modernism