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The concept of postmodernism
An essay on postmodernism
The concept of postmodernism
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The political climate at the beginning of the 1940’s and the changes taking place all around the world drastically influenced the face of contemporary society. The invasion of Poland by Germany on 1st of September 1939 was the first stone thrown in the face of freedom of expression and liberty out of the many that followed for the next decades. The dawn of the Second World War was one of the premises that forced many European artists, pioneers par excellence in their field, through their French or German inherited status, to immigrate across the ocean. Due to the exile, the art centre also moved overseas, from Paris to New York, offering a new opportunity for American art to be the initiator in what was generally accepted as the new tendencies in arts. These changes brought new opportunities for the other social categories to express themselves. From feminists to gay, African-Americans to Mexican immigrants, gradually, these groups found an open window towards freedom of expression in arts and literature alongside their fight for social inclusion and acceptance. It is in this background that Postmodernism started taking shape and became a common ground on which practitioners from all social domains would produce their work. There are many voices debating the meanings of postmodernism, discussing its validity or simply denying it. Some claim that it never happened while some are daring enough to put a clear beginning date on it or its deadline. One might say that the invalidity of postmodernism that some critics claimed might be, paradoxically, a characteristic of the movement.
According to the Oxford Dictionary (2010), postmodernism is:
“a late 20th -century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism, whi...
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...20web/WNL%20contents.htm-Accessed November 2010
Bate, David, 2005, After Postmodernism?, Essay
http://www.lensculture.com/bate1.html - Accessed 26 November 2010
Eshelman, Raoul, Performatism, or the End of Postmodernism, Anthropoetics 6, no. 2 (Fall 2000 / Winter 2001)
http://www.anthropoetics.ucla.edu/ap0602/perform.htm - Accessed 29 October 2010
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/karl-shapiro
The Collected Works of Eric Voegelin: Published essays, 1966-1985
By Eric Voegelin, Ellis Sandoz
http://books.google.com/books?id=5qebtKOVjJUC&pg=PA221&lpg=PA221&dq=Every+single+man+is+but+a+blind+link+in+the+chain+of+absolute+necessity+by+which+the+world+builds+itself+forth+(+sich+fortbildet+).+Th&source=bl&ots=TEpqIFxfJz&sig=jDKxs_rxzTnPTJunS1ZtLyHxolQ&hl=en&ei=jQU4TeuVFMTPhAfW15zGCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
The begging of World War II not only changed countries, economic structures and politics but also had an enormous influence on different sides of life of people and societies. Well-known from the historical experience is the fact that every single of such size as World War always has its resonance on arts, as culture is an inseparable part of people’s lives. Talking of WWII, the response within artistic communities was so strong that artists became a part of the ideological war of the time (Martin). The position of lots of creative people was at the same time very fearful, as they found themselves in occupied countries under the threat of totalitarian regimes and had to immigrate
Whereas the interpreter is obliged to go to the depth of things, like an excavator, the moment of interpretation [genealogy] is like an overview, from higher and higher up, which allows the depth to be laid out in front of him in a more and more profound visibility; depth is resituated as an absolutely superficial secret.(18)
Over the past thirty years, generations understand the world around us is made up of worldly views and patterns of thoughts that inform the culture. Postmodernism informs more of the current culture than of the past, and plays a major role in media, politics, and religion. Postmodernism relies more on experience rather than specific principles, knowing that the outcome of one’s experience will be relative than universal. Postmodernism implies a shattering of innocent confidence in the capacity of the self to control its own destiny. These are some characteristics that researchers find important?
After the 1940 surrender of Paris, which many Americans viewed as the fall of culture due to Paris’ status as the international mecca for the arts, it was evident that the world required a new and superior cultural hub. Throughout the 1940s American artists, with the influence of European Modern and Surrealist painters, were able to elevate New York City to the center of the art world by implementing a “new, strong, and original” artistic style that simultaneously fought fascist ideology: Abstract Expressionism (Guilbault 65). After the war, galleries throughout Europe exhibited American Abstract art, Rothko’s in particular, to prove that American art, once thought tasteless, possessed artistic depth and merit (“Mark Rothko”). Therefore, Abstract Expression had a major role in making New York City the worldwide cultural metropolis that it is today. In terms of shifts in worldview, Abstract Expressionism placed a great importance on intense emotion and spirituality in a society where religiousness was, and continues to be, replaced by other, often self-centered or materialistic, pursuits. The movement allowed and encouraged the public to explore their darkest fears and woes, which, in the wake of the Second World War and, later on, during the Cold War was likely therapeutic. Above all else, it made society recognize that art should no longer be viewed with suspicion; instead, it should be accepted as an integral element of culture
It was a full 170 years after Americans had their political revolution that they won an aesthetic revolution. American art to get rid of its inhibiting mechanisms- provincialism, over-dependence on European sources, and an indifferent public- and liberate itself into a quality and expressive force equal to, or exceeding that of art produced anywhere within the period. Few would argue that the painting and sculpture that emerged from the so-called New York School in the mid 1940s was the foremost artistic phenomenon of its time and was labeled as the Abstract Expressionist movement. Abstract expressionism was a reaction to social realism, surrealism, and primitive art in the 1940s; this is a turning point in American art history because it caused the rest of the art world to recognize New York as the new center of innovation.
In the beginning of the twentieth century, literature changed and focused on breaking away from the typical and predicate patterns of normal literature. Poets at this time took full advantage and stretched the idea of the mind’s conscience on how the world, mind, and language interact and contradict. Many authors, such as Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, and Twain, used the pain and anguish in first hand experiences to create and depict a new type of literature, modernism. In this time era, literature and art became a larger part of society and impacted more American lives than ever before. During the American modernism period of literature, authors, artists, and poets strived to create pieces of literature and art that challenged American traditions and tried to reinvent it, used new ways of communication, such as the telephone and cinema, to demonstrate the new modern social norms, and express the pain and suffering of the First World War.
The International Dada Archive of the University of Iowa is an example of the how the Internet is used as a tool to immortalize the works of the Dada movement. The purpose of the archive is to preserve and spread the written word of the Dada movement. Unlike contemporary art, the artist and writers of the Dada movement did not aim to create eternal works of art and literature (Shipe 2). Tristan Tzara and Hugo Ball, leaders of the movement, reacted against World War I and wanted to open the way to a new art and a new society. Though Dadaists published books and displayed their work, the real spirit of Dada was in events: cabaret performances, demonstrations, confrontation, distribution of leaflets, and small magazines (Shipe 2). These documents exist but can only be found within diaries, audiences, newspaper accounts, and throwaway leaflets. The documents are made a...
Postmodernism is a vague term that can describe a variety of disciplines that include, architecture, art, music, film, fashion, literature…etc. (Klages). In the case of “Videotape”, postmodern literature would be the main focus or area of study. This type of literature emerged in the era that succeeded World War II and relies heavily on the use of techniques such as, fragmentation, the creation of paradoxes, and questionable protagonists. Furthermore, postmodern literature also exudes ambiguity and critical thinking where the focus is mainly on the reader and his/her experience of the work rather than the content and form. Building upon that, the selected passag...
...reet Art, Ideology, and Public Space.” NYUClasses, Portland State University. 2012. PDF file. 6 May 2014
Tim O’Brien, author of The Things They Carried, expresses his journey throughout the Vietnam War via a series of short stories. The novel uses storytelling to express the emotional toll the men encountered, as well as elucidate their intense experiences faced during the war. The literary theory, postmodernism, looks at these war experiences and questions their subjectivity, objectivity, and truth in a literary setting. It allows the reader to look through a lens that deepens the meaning of a work by looking past what is written and discovering the various truths. O’Brien used the storytelling process to illustrate the bleeding frame of truth. Through his unique writing style, he articulates the central idea of postmodernism to demonstrate the
Green 1 Controlled Chaos: The Impact of Surrealism on the Art World The Surrealist movement that began in the 1920’s, was unlike anything the art world had ever seen before. While Surrealist painters borrowed techniques from previous “ism” movements, for example Impressionism and Cubism, the prominent painters of this movement had acquired a new, shocking style all their own. Surrealism, as an art movement, stressed the importance of expanding one’s mind in order to welcome other depictions of ‘reality’. Surrealist artists channelled their subconscious and their works reflected images of total mind liberation. Unlike the art movements before it, Surrealism came the closest to truly reflecting the human dreamlike state. While this essay will explore the purpose, techniques and lasting impact of the Surrealist art movement, it should be noted that this movement transcended the boundaries of the image arts world. The influence of Surrealism can be felt in the fields of literature, film, music and philosophy, among others. The Surrealist movement started in 1920’s Europe, with Paris as the unofficial basis for the movement. Surrealism is usually linked with the Dada movement. Dadaism attacked the conventional forms of aesthetics and it stressed how absurd and unpredictable the process of artistic creation was. They created pieces of ‘non-art’ to show, out of protest, how meaningless European culture had become (de la Croix 705). The Dada movement was declared dead around 1922 when it had become ‘too organised‘ a movement, but it planted the seeds for Surrealism (de la Croix 706). While the Dada movement provided the basis for Surrealism, Surrealism was lighter and much less violent than its predecessor. Dadaism provided a basis for Su...
In the 1950s, authors tended to follow common themes, these themes were summed up in an art called postmodernism. Postmodernism took place after the Cold War, themes changed drastically, and boundaries were broken down. Postmodern authors defined themselves by “avoiding traditional closure of themes or situations” (Postmodernism). Postmodernism tends to play with the mind, and give a new meaning to things, “Postmodern art often makes it a point of demonstrating in an obvious way the instability of meaning (Clayton)”. What makes postmodernism most unique is its unpredictable nature and “think o...
German Expressionism is an artistic movement that rose from the smouldering ashes of World War |. This movement would change the film industry and it's approach to filmmaking. Expressionism was a response to a widespread anxiety about humanities increasing discordant relationship with the world. During this time the German nation had been virtually destroyed. The war introduced death in staggering numbers and highlighted the barbarism of humanity. The chaotic results of the war inspired an artistic revolution that would impact cinema for a century later. More than ninety years after it's development the movement known as German Expressionism is still influencing the minds and actions of filmmakers and artists. Born out of despair and tragedy this movement has grown so readily that many modern icons can find their roots in German durning the 1920's. The minds of Fritz Lang, F.W Marnau, Robert Weine, Er...
The Lost Generation is not studied intensively, but it had a great effect on the world today. It gave us many artistic values. The lost generation not only gave the world newfound views of humanity’s future, as seen in literary works from Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein, but found ways to express the pain and suffering that the Lost Generation experienced. The Lost Generation was the young people after World War I. These people had just witnessed the deaths of their family and friends. They were ‘lost’ and were trying to find their way. Gertrude Stein coined the term ‘The Lost Generation’ when she told Hemingway: “"That is what you are. That's what you all are ... all of you young people who served in the war. You are a lost generation”’ (Gertrude Stein). These people needed a way to vent their grief; this is where the art came in to play. Surrealism and Dadaism were inspired by the Lost Generation and Existentialism; existentialism being the idea that one gives himself his own life meaning and there is no set plan for one’s future. These two factors made surrealism and Dadaism some of the most unique movements of all time. Surrealism artists wished to be in a world of their own, one where their imagination could truly go wild and where dreams and reality meet; Dada artists cre...
Many believed that Modernist works were not “art” because they did not always look like real life. But what is “real life”? A new outlook on reality was taken by Modernists. What is true for one person at one time is not true for another person at a different time. Experimentation with perspective and truth was not confined to the canvas; it influenced literary circles as well.