Postmodernism

Modernism vs Postmodernism

• Master narrative of progress through science and technology.

• Sense of unified, centered self; "individualism," unified identity.

• Idea of "the family" as central unit of social order: model of the middle-class, nuclear family.

• Skepticism of progress, anti-technology reactions, neo-Luddism; new age religions

• Sense of fragmentation and decentered self; multiple, conflicting identities.

• Alternative family units, alternatives to middle-class marriage model, multiple identities for couplings and childraising.

Modernism vs Postmodernism

• Hierarchy, order, centralized control.

• Faith and personal investment in big politics (Nation-State, party).

• Faith in the "real" beyond media and representations; authenticity of "originals"

• Subverted order, loss of centralized control, fragmentation.

• Trust and investment in micro-politics, identity politics, local politics, institutional power struggles.

• Hyper-reality, image saturation, simulacra seem more powerful than the "real"; images and texts with no prior "original". "As seen on TV" and "as seen on MTV" are more powerful than unmediated experience.

How does it appear?

• Pastiche• Kitsch• Visual humour• Parody• Bricolage

Masanori Umeda, Boxing Ring Conversation Pit, 1981. (for Memphis)

Ian Hamilton Finlay , Adorno’s Hut, 1986-7

Mies van der Rohe (1954)Seagram Building, NYC

Thomas Chippendale(18th century)bookcase

Philip Johnson (1984)AT+T Headquarters, NYC

+ = Postmodernism!

Post Modernism in Action• Analysis becomes aware that the context

of the text and the reader create meaning

• Art – self reflexivity

• Music – Generic Hybridisation

• Visual Culture – the visual becomes more important

• Architecture

Pruitt Igoe Housing Project (1960s - 1972). 3 p.m., on March 16, 1972

Postmodern architecture

In his seminal work Learning from Las Vegas, Robert Venturi researches the symbolism and impact of popular culture on architectural styles and suggests that architects should be more receptive to popular tastes and values (Venturi, 1972).

Post Modern Architecture

• Las Vegas signs and Buildings

• Venturi Learning from Las Vegas 1972

Postmodern architecture

Postmodernism manifests itself in decoration, often using plastic aluminium, neon and trompe l’oeil effects to suggest familiar architectural features. Venturi suggested that ‘dressed in historical styles, buildings evoked explicit associations and romantic allusions to the past’ (Venturi, 1998 p.7)

Venturi , Children’s museum Texas,1989

Left: Children’s Museum. Right: Caryathids, Parthenon, Athens

Postmodern architecture

Venturi’s concept of post-modernism advocated a rejection of Modernist simplicity and the adoption of a collage style composed of an eclectic mixture of historic references. However in a later theoretical work,Venturi denies that he advocates postmodernism. Although he suggested ‘Less is a bore’

(Glancey, 1998)

Postmodern architecture

The design works on two levels in an attempt to create a building that can be appreciated by both architects and ‘the man in the street’

The Disney World’s Swan Hotel (image)

Postmodern architectureCharles Jencks in his book Bizarre Architecture describes a store project for Best supermarkets. Designed by SITE in 1975 it is described as ‘de- architecture’’Every morning at 9.00 this front door slides open for shoppers , but unlike other push-button apertures it takes part of the building with it, forty-five tons of jagged- edged engineering brick. The handling of the “ripped joint” is carefully realistic; it follows the angle of shear which might occur in an earth quake, and a few bricks are missing near the points of violence’

Jenks, C. 1979 p31

Postmodern: concepts

Plurality (a large number)‘The idea of plurality is essential to Post-Modernism; the necessity of crossing boundaries and mixing genres is also a norm’ (Jencks 1985)

Peter Blake, The Meeting or Have a nice Day Mr. Hockney, 1981

Post modern: concepts

A new version of Courbet’s The Meeting or Bonjour Monsieur Courbet.A meeting of three artists Peter Blake , David Hockney and Howard Hodgkin. The girl skater is a combination of commercial art and classical sculptureThe composition commemorates a historic meeting much as 19th century Classicists would have enjoyed Peter Blake, The Meeting or Have a nice Day Mr. Hockney, 1981

Courbet, G. Courbet’s The Meeting or Bonjour Monsieur Courbet. 1854

Postmodern concepts

Double codingCharles Jenks posits the concept of ‘double-coding’, that is meanings that could be seen as referring simultaneously to the future and the past

Lloyd’s bank Canons Marsh Bristol (left)

He suggests that postmodernism can be ‘partly defined as double coding’. The combining of modern techniques with (in architecture) traditional building design.

Postmodern concepts

Post Modernism: Key Points or how to spot a Postmodern text!

• Self –reflexivity• Generic Hybridisation• Kitsch• Irony• Mix of Low and High Art• Mass produced is now art!• Hyperreality

Post modernism and Film

In Last Action Hero there are three Schwarzeneggers; one acting in the film , one in the film within the film and the ‘real’ one who is attending the premiere with his real wife , in the film.

(Appignanesi, 1995)