Accidental Postmodernism
Postmodernism is a philosophical term referring to art, literature, politics, social philosophy and other aspects of contemporary society. While the word has been used in only the last 50 years or so, long before then many creative people lived and worked according to the principles of postmodernism and postmodern art.
The American Heritage Dictionary says that postmodernism is, "Of or relating to art, architecture, or literature that reacts against earlier modernist principles, as by reintroducing traditional or classical elements of style or by carrying modernist styles or practices to extremes."
Blurred Defining Line
As explained in the Definition page, "The defining line between painting and sculpture is blurred, technology has helped expand its tools and mediums, while the works explore conceptual, political and other cerebral ideas.
"Postmodern and contemporary artists often adopt, borrow, steal, recycle and/or sample from earlier modern and classical works. They combine or alter these images to create new, contemporary pieces. And many fill their works with a strong sense of self-awareness.” They also work with and combine artistic, scientific, technological, media and digital/Internet tools.
Two Historic (Postmodern) Artists
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was an Italian writer, architect, painter, sculptor, botanist, engineer, mathematician, musician, city planner, set designer and philosopher. He experimented with the helicopter and the idea of flying. He also performed autopsies and studied optics from the scientific and artistic points of view.
Louis Daguerre (1787-1851) was a French artist and scientist known for the invention of the daguerreotype process of photography. He was also an architect, theater designer, panoramic painter and inventor of the Diorama.
Two Contemporary Postmodernists
Steve Furman is from Western Illinois and lives near Chicago. As creator of the blog Expedient MEANS, he explains, “My serious interests in art, society, media and technology led me naturally to the web… I write observations about this rapid convergence and invite comments...this weblog...is a useful framework for explaining complex designs and interactions, as well as helping one understand human behavior."
Mark Chamberlain is from Eastern Iowa and lives in Laguna Beach. He is an artist, curator, designer, mentor, creator of large multimedia events, and inventor of unusual devices. As a self-described “arteologist,” he uses a variety of tools and tactics to address social concerns, many of these at his fine art photography gallery, BC Space. His own photographic artwork is in numerous public and private collections.
Minneapolis Poet
A fascinating article appeared recently in The Examiner by Jim Benz, a poet from Minneapolis. As assistant editor of Pralaton Literary Journal, he recently completed his degree in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature.
He theorizes, "Ideally, postmodern art explores subjective, daily life by whatever criteria, material, or method the artist deems effective. Frequently, the material might not exist entirely within the art work itself, but instead be composed of the social forces from which the work takes its context, including the role of the viewer, the museum or gallery, the means of production, or the specific site of display.
"Briefly stated, a postmodern work of art can oftentimes confound a viewer who might have neither the education nor the inclination to contemplate the full impact of its conceptual (and sometimes political) composition."
Accidental Postmodernists
Steve Furman writes in his blog, "Postmodernists look at modernism and say, 'This could be done more effectively.’ A postmodernist recycles, borrows, decompiles and rebuilds classic modern executions into a postmodern construct that can be more easily understood and consumed. We are obsessed with organizing knowledge and putting it to use in the most functional way possible. Postmodernists posit that knowledge should be used for doing, not just knowing.
"The birth of postmodernism loosely coincides with the rise of electronic technology and computers. Indeed, postmodernists create, arrange, distribute and store knowledge much differently than their modern counterparts. If it can be digitized, then it will survive. If it can’t, then it is at risk for being lost forever. There is also a desire to connect with people and make introductions that might lead to something good for all parties involved."
Mark Chamberlain, a disciple of Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983, inventor of the geodesic dome and an accidental postmodernist), says, "Bucky summarized that if mankind cannot recognize that he is just a part of the fabric of the universe, his mission will be carried on by more enlightened beings. Of course, his purpose was to help us become those beings.
"Combine Bucky's ideas with those of Alan Watts (1915-1973, the British writer and speaker, famous for popularizing Eastern philosophy and Zen Buddhism) who said that the only way to know the truth is to see all things through all eyes at all times. Season these with the writings of Milan Kundera, the Czech writer (born 1929) who conveyed how we communicate through the prism of our individual mindsets. You conclude that nothing is ever just what it seems to be."
Breaking New Ground
I spend hours each week reading about contemporary art (the style) and postmodernism (the philosophy explaining the style). I read about postmodern art breaking new ground while mirroring and organizing our confusing, ever evolving world. Looking at contemporary art and postmodernism often requires viewers to see beyond their normal perspectives, to find new paradigms. But in doing so, you expand your understanding of the larger world.
Jim Benz adds in his Examiner piece, "Modernism celebrates the ability of the artist to create profound, timeless meanings via the art work. Postmodernism works with meanings which arise not only from the artist but also from the milieu of cultural influences embodied within the viewer, through whom meaning is in a continual process of re-creation."
Pablo Picasso (who continually explored new artistic horizons) said, "What do you think an artist is? ...he is a political being, constantly aware of the heart breaking, passionate, or delightful things that happen in the world, shaping himself completely in their image. Painting is not done to decorate apartments..."
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