The distinction of modern and postmodern artists sometimes seems to be a bit challenging, do to a lack of chronological boundaries, between modernism and postmodernism which are, additionally, extremely blurred. To determine artists by the dates of their works is not necessarily possible, since the epoch of postmodern art did not entered every country at the same time. Although Charles Jencks sets the ‘death’ of architectural modernism on July 15th, 1972 at 3:32pm, modernism in general is said to end with World War II. In North America, however, it rather ends with the Great Depression. Thus, the broad agreement on the period of Modernism is from 1885-1935. Modernists continued writing even after 1945 but did not earn much attention any longer. The period of postmodernism must have begun some when between then and 1960. Obviously, the passage of modernism and postmodernism is fluent. Postmodernism is said to be nostalgia and retrospective. Collages and imitation are regarded as being postmodern, as well as any rejection of modernism. Modernism in contrast would display the avant-garde forms of expression and the ‘shock of the new’. But those definitions are general and just give a hint to what could be the distinction of modernism and postmodernism. Because of this, in the present essay I will elaborate and compare the ways that 'postmodernist' might be distinguished from 'modernist' and solve the question of the differences between these epochs. To do so, I will focus on terms of literature, visual arts, and architecture, which are regarded as being characteristically for modernism or postmodernism.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Distinction of 'postmodernist' from 'modernist'
- Modernity
- Modernism
- Modernism in Visual Arts
- Modernism in Literature
- Postmodernism in Visual Arts
- Postmodernism in Literature
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to explore the distinction between modernism and postmodernism, focusing on key differences in literature, visual arts, and architecture. While acknowledging the fluid nature of these movements, it seeks to highlight characteristic features of each epoch.
- Defining modernism and postmodernism as aesthetic categories distinct from historical periods
- Analyzing the reaction of modernism to the ongoing changes and challenges of modernization
- Exploring the role of tradition and its rejection in both modernism and postmodernism
- Examining the impact of mechanical reproduction on the reception of art
- Comparing and contrasting the use of intertextuality in modernist and postmodernist literature
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
This essay begins by exploring the difficulty in drawing clear chronological boundaries between modernism and postmodernism. It highlights how both movements are characterized by a sense of nostalgia and retrospection. It then delves into the key features of modernism, specifically its focus on the awareness of modernization and its reaction to the changing world. The essay then examines the works of prominent modernist artists like Picasso, highlighting how they utilize abstract and unconventional forms to critique traditional values and explore the chaos of modernity.
Further sections discuss the rise of postmodernism as a response to modernism's elitism and its embrace of popular culture. The essay explores the works of Andy Warhol, a key figure in Pop Art, who incorporated elements of popular culture into his art to challenge traditional notions of representation.
The essay continues by examining the influence of mechanical reproduction on the reception of art, and how it has led to a shift from the modernist focus on elitism to a more inclusive and accessible approach to art. The text then analyzes the role of intertextuality in modernist literature, emphasizing how modernist writers employed a high degree of intertextuality to connect their works with a broader literary tradition.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Modernism, Postmodernism, Visual Arts, Literature, Architecture, Tradition, Modernization, Mechanical Reproduction, Intertextuality, Avant-garde, Popular Culture, Elitism.
- Quote paper
- Melissa Grönebaum (Author), 2013, Distinction of ‘postmodernist’ from ‘modernist’, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/268382
