Modernism/Postmodernism

21/10/2011

In my last issues in visual culture class we discussed modernism and post modernism.

Modernism and postmodernism are ways of defining historical periods. Modernism referrers to the early 1900s until the early 1950s where people began to move forward and revolt. It is responsible for radical changes in western society. When I researched the subject via the Internet I found that it has influenced technology and architecture, décor, art and literature. Modernism is quite difficult to define. According to the National trust for historic preservation “modernism is not even a singular style, that it incorporates a great variety of aesthetics and sensibilities”. From modernists came modernists people like frank lloyed Wright who they say modern architecture would not have been the same without him.  Modernist artist who rebelled against 19th century traditions believed that previous artistic works where becoming outdated. Modernist movements, such as Cubism in art, Symbolism in poetry and Atonality in music explored the aspects of a developing world. People seemed to be questioning things and developing in a way they thought was viable.

The question came up who was a modern and who was postmodern. Modern being the self-aware person who was embraces the new and inventive and says goodbye to the old less efficient. Postmodern is someone who is modern but cant help looking at the old trying to make it better. I would say am post modern. The comment came in class that post modern can seem shallow or eccentric why not live with modern times. To me modernism is a very minimal no matter what way you look at it the when it comes to technology, art and books everything is very minimal. Modern art in comparison to the art movements such as realism and romanticism is block colours and vivid clear lines less detail. The most well known art movement which modernism introduce was pop art which had as I explain not much detail and a lot of block colours. Post modernism is described as the critique of modernism but it has many different meanings. According to art history. Com “For some it means anti-modern; for others it means the revision of modernist premises”.

                                           works by andy Warhol