Romanticism or postmodernism arts

Running head: POSTMODERNISM ARTS Postmodernism Arts POSTMODERNISM ARTS 2 Postmodernism Arts Postmodern art is just like how postmodernism is defined in all other fields. It is characterized by the rebellious expressions of people by utilizing traditional concepts in non-traditional ways. Some view it as against its predecessor “ modernist art,” while some see it as a modification of the modernist premises (Kallen, 2009, p. 17). There are several characteristics and events that pushed the birth of postmodern art. One of the most notable is the concept of “ futurism.” This means advocating technology, speed, and even violence. There is also the “ dada,” which is a sort of an anti-art movement that is commercialized. Examples of this are those ready-made art pieces. There is also the concept of “ surrealism,” which is a perception that a dream-like state contains more truth than reality. Furthermore, there is “ pop art,” which is viewed as low art, most of which are mass produced. Finally, all these gave birth to postmodern art wherein all these novel concepts are explored and their meaning modified (Risatti, 1998, p. 36).
2. Some artists popular in the postmodern movement are Chris Burden, Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol, James Rosenquist, Roy Lichtenstein, Barbara Kruger, Rene Magritte, and Umberto Boccioni (Kallen, 2009, p. 23-4).
3. There are several arts pieces that fall under the postmodernist art category. Some personal favorites are that of Chris Burdens “ The Reason for the Neutron Bomb,” which is made up of 50, 000 nickels topped with matchsticks that represent the Soviet tank buildup in Europe. Another art piece under this category is that of Barbara Kruger entitled “ Your Body is a Battleground,” which is a feminist take and critique on how media creates an idealized version of beauty. There is also James Rosenquists “ President Elect,” which is actually a campaign poster turned into a
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commentary about consumerism and commodification (Kallen, 2009 and Risatti, 1998) .
4. It is said that postmodern art actually began after the WW1. People have tried to believe and push for a better future. The views that tradition and anything linked to the past restricts freedom caused the evolution of the belief that changes can be done and that human destiny can be influenced through art. However, after the WW2, it is understandable how people felt it is almost impossible to sustain this ideal (Risatti, 1998, p. 38-9). Furthermore, with the Cold War and the continuous threats about mass destruction, an optimistic view of the future seems impossible. It seems now that the future is no longer the goal of art, especially with events such as the Womens Movement, Vietnam War, Civil Rights movements, and even the transformation of students from passive into rebellious (Huyssen, 1998, p. 331).
5. It is said that there is a decline in the art world that started as early as the 19th century (Huyssen, 1998, p. 332). It lost its confidence and began to dive into a belief that genuine originality, optimistic views, beauty, and even progress are no longer possible in this modern day and age. This was furthered by the many movements that occurred in the past decades. Now, post postmodernist art appears to reconstruct what has been lost in the previous decades. It begins to again recover what was stripped away by postmodernist culture, and even modernism, to utilize these junk pieces into new and limitless ways (Risatti, 1998, p. 45-6).
6. Designing of products in the 21st century will benefit from incorporating the widest range possible of cultural materials like art history, literature, philosophy, history, mythology, religion, pop culture, science, and even folklore (Heartney, 2010, p. 11). With the diverse nature of todays world, what will probably be most useful would be those that are able to meet the challenges of diversity in design.
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References
Kallen, S. A. (2009). Postmodern art. Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent Books.
Heartney, E. (2010). Art & today. London: Phaidon Press.
Huyssen, A. (January 01, 1998). Mapping the postmodern. The Art of Art History, 329-338.
Risatti, H. (1998). Postmodern perspectives: Issues in contemporary art. Upper Saddle River,
N. J: Prentice Hall.