1. Define Post-Modernism using 8-10 bullet points that include short quotes.
Reletivisim :
" Postmodernism is associated with reletivism. Reletivism is the idea that "anything goes" It is the position where one has left the absolute truth, and instead embraced the idea that knowledge is dependent on one's perspective."(Saugstad, 2001, para. 5-6)
Irony:
" Postmodern irony is allusive, multilayered, preemptive, cynical, and above all, nihilistic. It assumes that everything is subjective and nothing means what it says. It's a sneering, world-weary,bad irony, a mentality that condemns before it can be condemned, preferring cleverness to sincerity and quotation to originality. Postmodern irony rejects tradition, but offers nothing in its place."
(Jon Winokur, The Big Book of Irony, St. Martin's Press, 2007)
Deconstructive Postmodernism:
" Deconstructive Postmodernism seeks to overcome the modern worldview, and the assumptions that sustain it,though what appears to be an anti-worldview.It "deconstructs" the ideas and values of Modernism to reveal what composes them and shows that such modernist ideas as " equality" and "liberity" are not "natural" to mankind or "true" to human nature but are ideals, intellectual constructions. " (Witcombe, 2000, para. 08)
Pluralism:
"Let me first say that I believe postmodernism represents an important virtue. This virtue is pluralism.Remember that I said that in postmodernism on has left the idea of a grand narrative. There are many histories and ways of looking at reality in contemporary society, and a diversity of opinions.This can be good. I do not believe that all the different paradigms and approaches to reality in the global society today all can be true. "" (Saugstad, 2001 para. 14)
Social Construction:
"Another idea within postmodernism, is social constructivism. I guess this idea can appear in different versions. At its most extreme, it might be something like : ' Reality is created by social reality. ' But the main idea is that there is no objective knowledge or absolute representation of reality.Many of our concepts and catagories are based on the social reality, and not because we veridically can represent physical reality. " (Saugstad, 2001 para. 11)
No Grand Narrative:
"A narrative is a history - a story. In this book from 1979, Lyotard emphasized that in postmodernism one has left the idea of a grand narrative.(Saugstad, 2001 para. 08)
Hyper-Reality:
"The new postmodern world tends to make everything a simulacrum. By this Baudrillard means a world in which all we have are simulations, there being noe 'real' external to them, no 'original' that is being copied. There is no longer a realm of the 'real' versus that of 'imitation' or 'mimicry' but rather a level in which there are only simulations. " (Baudrillard, n.d. para. 04)
Constructive Post Modernism
"Constructive postmodernism does not reject Modernism, but seeks to revise its
premises and traditional concepts." (Witcombe, 2000, para. 14)
2. Use a quote by Witcombe (2000) to define the Post-Modern artist.(page 24)
According to Witcombe (2000):
The post-modern artist is "reflexive" in that he/she is self-aware and consciously
involved in a process of thinking about him/herself and society in a deconstructive
manner, "demasking" pretensions, becoming aware of his/her cultural self in history,
and accelerating the process of self-conciousness.
3. Use the table on pages 47 and 48 in your ALVC handbook to summarize the list of the features of Post-Modernity.
- Hyper-Reality
- Flexible
- No concern for " Depth"
- Popular Culture
- Process Art
- Irony and Play
- Simulacrum
- Hybridity
- Promiscuous genres
- Intertextuality
- Substitution for the "real"
- Art as the recycling of culture
- Reflectivity
Use this summary to answer the next two questions.
4. Research Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's 'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994)
in order to say what features of the work could be considered Post-Modern.
'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994), Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei dropping a Han Dynast Urn.
"We shall not have succeeded in demolishing everything unless we demolish the ruins as well."
Alfred Jarry...
How Ai Weiwei's work is considered a 'Postmodern' is the many elements which explore the concepts behind what we consider as Postmodern art such as the use of irony playing with the idea of putting a price on such "priceless" items in this case on the Han dynasty urn. It also shows the reflective nature of the culture today. The universal clash between consumerism, Histories and tradition.
" On one urn Ai painted the Coca-Cola logo, transforming the antique vessel into a contemporary artwork" (Yap, 2012)
By using these two main key ideas of post modernism Ai Weiwei has used those popular culture of today placed it within a historically valued artifact and replaced with value and worth of the original piece with a price tag of culture today. So it no longer becomes Historically significant and rich in traditions it is now expression of the consumer influences on our social culture and what we know and see today.
6. Research British artist Banksy's street art, and analyze the following two works by the artist
to discuss how each work can be defined at Post-Modern.(Use your list from question 3.)
'Flower Riot', Banksy
Los Angeles (2008), Banksy
Both Works by the underground Graffiti artist Banksy cleary shows key ideas of post modernism with him also playing with the ideas of Irony within society.
Bansky talks about the riots and instead of the ' characters' throwing bricks and all they throw flowers, where again his play in irony or as one interview had said it is where " fluffy meets spiky again".
Many of the graffiti artists say Bansky tracks too much attention, but what he shows through all his works and especially here is 'reflecting' on todays society, not look at him but "look around you".
The main focus is society and the games it plays on both the mind on culture, how hes taking real life situations and breathed fresh air into but also slapped on a twist to prove a point.How ironic for a caveman who is subjected to going out and collecting his meal by hunting whereas now instead of the traditional means of catch and kill, we take the easy way out and fall prey to easy takeout.
His media is also a use of what is popular culture today. Graffiti art has become widely popular within the universal society, more and more artists have chosen this pathway and media because of the high demand and most recently status of the true graffiti artists. It has become the new trend, reinventing the use of stencils , recycling old ideas to new issues which grabs local attention.
Refrences:
AUT University. (2012). Academic literacies in visual communications 2: Resource book.
Auckland, New Zealand. Lyceum Press AUT University.
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