Postmodernism Definition: A period label given to cultural forms since the 1960s that display characteristics such as reflexivity, irony, and the mixing of popular and high art forms. The word means, naturally, “after modernism” (the dominant cultural mode of the early twentieth century).

Characteristics of Postmodern Art 1. Self-consciousness (reflexivity) of itself as a human- made, artificial construct, rather than a manifestation of "reality" or the natural order of things. 2. Historical grounding, that is, an awareness of its place in history. 3. Irony (often playful).

Characteristics (cont.) 4. Pastiche, or mixing of traditional forms usually considered unmixable (e.g., multimedia art installations) 5. Suspicion of universal theories or ultimate truths of morality, art, philosophy, religion and culture. Instead, unresolvable paradox and ambiguity constitute the only "truths" in human society.

Characteristics (cont.) 6. Distrust of language, since when people use language to proclaim so-called universal theories and ultimate truths, people deliberately or unknowingly use language that conspires with the politics behind these theories and therefore cannot be used to produce a "neutral" description (the idea is that all language is relative, not absolute). 7. Time and space are disrupted (e.g., disruptions in narrative time, distorted spatial perspectives)

Postmodern Visual Art

Parody is a popular mode of postmodernism (often parodies of modernist icons) Salvador Dali: The Persistence of Memory (1931)

Whaam! Roy Lichtenstein, 1963 Note: This is a painting.

Bits & Pieces Put Together to Present a Semblance of a Whole Lawrence Weiner, 2005. Note: laser-cut aluminum typography on brick

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao Frank Gehry, architect

Compare Modernism and Postmodernism On Truth Modernism says the individual person should decide for himself or herself the difference between truth versus external reality. Postmodernism says even an individual person isn't able to access the truth, as there is no such thing as "truth."

On Form Modernism rejects traditional forms. Postmodernism uses traditional forms but does not believe the forms are cohesive; that is, the "form" is a false entity anyway, so the artist can easily combine different forms without worrying about artificial ideas of integrity or balance.

On Experimentation Modernism emphasizes invention (especially in terms of experimentation). Postmodernism denies there's such thing as "invention"--what appears "new" is simply a reiteration of what's come before. In fact, it's deceitful to postulate the existence of an "origin" or "original work."