Introducing Post-Modernism

• With post modernism there is a feeling that everything has been done before, there are no original ideas, instead ideas are recycled and re quoted.
• Late modernism was born out of optimism, with a view to improving peoples lives, but the rules of modernism actually limited people, preventing individuality.
• Modernism was experimental, looked forwards, was original and meant for the individual to advance society.
• Post modernism is almost the complete opposite to the associations linked with modernism. Progress is doubted, while a jokey light-hearted attitude replaces seriousness. It is impossible to be original.
• The new modern world is seen as a bad route, as people are fed up with technology.
• The new hasn't saved us, but made our lives worse.
• Post modernism is fundamentally related to modernism, as it is often a negative or sarcastic reaction to the characteristics of the modern world, where modernism is an expression of these.
• This crazy construction (Homage to New York) is anti-aesthetic, against modernism, however, it could be argued that there is a truth to materials with the junk. It was a work of art that was designed to blow up and destroy itself, which relates to the idea of new technologies destroying New York.
• Post modernism is thought of as starting in the 1960's
• Jameson thinks we are in late modernism, and that capitalism is about to fall
• Hip hop is an example of post modern music. It is an eclectic mix, a strange modern mash up hybrid. It contains samples of old with new beats.
• The idea of a global village started with modernism, now everything is linked, so the idea of an individual nationality is lost
• The Pruitt building was bulldozed. It was a social housing project with modernist design. It was based on modernist society values. However, it quickly became a ghetto, rife with crime, drugs and prostitution, rather than building a community. It was a failed Utopian project.
• Post modernism believes that modernism got it wrong, and failed us.
• Technological determinism proved to be wrong, not everything is improved with new technology. This is proved by the Internet, while it has brought people together, it has also allowed for fraud, pedophiles and crime.
• Post modernism is not all negative, it realises that everyone is unique, and everyone should have their own voice. There is a cultural space where new directions can be opened.
• Society starts to get confused and lost with the dizzying array of options
• The international style of architecture is shown in New York. Every skyscraper is true to form following function.
• Park Hill flats in Sheffield are an example of the modernist community, with an aggressive aesthetic. They became slums, but cannot be demolished because the government say that the flats are important examples of modernist architecture. Post modernists have a 'colourful' solution to beautify the flats.
• The AT&T building is an example of post modern architecture. It is an irregular skyscraper, mixing the old with the new. The part at the top references the Greek temples.
• Post modernist architecture is more human, fun, less serious and individual.
• Classical references are updated in a modern way. In this example, the skyscraper grid is turned wobbly and wavy. The building seems to be falling apart although it is brand new. There is bright colour. It is a mix of seriousness with joking.
• Prince Charles dislikes modernist architecture and shows bad examples in his book.
• Leeds magistrate court is an example of ill thought out post modern architecture, which just looks tired and ugly.
• Leeds College of Art building is another example. The exposed pipework inside is a reference to the industrial culture.
• People now realise that the modernist belief system was lies, as it was never the whole world's vision, but an elitist unattainable ideology.
• Post modernism is an undermining of the structures that have guided us in the past. Without that foundation, people are left confused with a mess of a society. This allows for individual narratives and sub-cultures.
• Pop art is often attacked for not being serious. There are jokey examples of the proposed Utopian future. "This must be the place." - An example of a piece that is sarcastic rather than celebratory.
• People have no idea what is high or low culture anymore.
• Las Vegas is the destruction of modern vision. Modernists would be distraught, post modernists would celebrate.
• Dystopia - an ultimate loss of order and self. Failure of human progress.
• Warhol is an example of the artist being replaced by celebrity. He was not about creativity, his art was an attack on what it means to be artistic. For example, the Marilyn's contained mistakes and smudges but were still used.
• Pollock painted on to canvas with expression, emotion and gesture. Warhol has a jokey attack on this style by weeing on a canvas.
• Piero Manzoni has a jokey attack on the art world with his "Artist's Shit", which is literally him selling his poo in a can.
• Art seems superficial, all about the money. Everything seems to only have surface value, with no deeper emotional meaning.
• Advertising has a greater social effect in the post modernist era than fine art.
• People are now defined by material things rather than any greater sense.
• Post modernist artists are about mixing high brown and populist.
• The Memphis Group are a group of post modernist graphic designers. Their work is a mix of silliness with modernist styles, such as sans serif typography.
• David Shrigley's drawings are a jokey attack on art today.
• Modernism was always only about the Western world.
• It is difficult to conclude post modernism, as everything is so vague.