Lecture : Post-modernism

A logical person would ask : " How can you be "post" something that is still happening i.e present and modern", as ever though, art never relies too much on logic don't it. Well firstly, post modernism is not modernism and doesn't follow the progressive and practical ideals of modernism. In some aspect, it is like the opposite of modernism, challenging modernism's association with experimentations, innovations, individualism, purity and seriousness by embracing exhaustion , pluralism, pessimism, in many ways a much more cynical view of the world. 

The emergence of postmodernism started around the 60s and became mainstreamed in the 80s and 90s but died of around the 2000s and today. 

So what actually is modernism , it can be defined as the historical era following the modern, or a contra  modernism, or the artistic and stylistic eclecticism. Due to this , the term postmodernism has been thrown around so much to the point that it is not taken seriously anymore. Regarding it an historical era, Charles Jencks defined post modernism started at July 15 , 1972 at 3: 32pm with the demolition of the Pruitt-Igoe development and modernism as a whole, which is a very opinion to hear. Regardless of its definition , post modern has a defined list of characteristics, that is to have an attitude of questioning conventions, with an aesthetic that depend on a multiplicity of styles and approaches. Its a reaction to rules and celebrate what might other wise be termed kitsch. Up to that point , you can really link the characteristic of post modernism to the social ideals of the modern generation , such as the hippy movement in the 60s and the progressive anti-establishment ideas of the modern young generation.

Perhaps postmodernism is most clearly projected through architecture as Richard slides through a series of postmodern buildings. It is hilarious though that he himself would acknowledge that some post modern design is a complete trash , ( like the Leeds looks) highlighting the fact that post modernism would often lose its purpose and identity, resulting in a crisis of identity and aesthetic. This in my mind is best observed in the progress of modern art, with the current stage of it being very pretentious and confusing for the most part.

Learning all of this , I'm quite conflicted about my feelings toward postmodernism. While some aspects of postmodernism like some of architecture can certainly be appreciated ( the Sydney opera house looks amazing ) , the shamanic pretentiousness of modern art creation is what I loath about the how genre itself and is one of the major reason that shaped my choices in going into animation and doing more practical practices. Postmodernism made me a modernist ironically so in that sense , i think its a failure of social experiments which would explains its decline in the modern era. To that point , I say , its nice to be different yes,to be uniques and wild, but classics and orders work for a reason so there needs to be a mutual respect and understanding between both sides rather than just out right disregard each other.