| The term, Postmodernism, refers to art, | | | | naturally to the web... I write observations about |
| literature, politics, social philosophy and other | | | | this rapid convergence and invite comments...this |
| aspects of contemporary society. The American | | | | weblog...is a useful framework for explaining |
| Heritage Dictionary defines postmodernism: "Of or | | | | complex designs and interactions, as well as |
| relating to art, architecture, or literature that | | | | helping one understand human behavior." |
| reacts against earlier modernist principles, as by | | | | He says in his blog, "I have become a |
| reintroducing traditional or classical elements of | | | | postmodernist without even knowing it... |
| style or by carrying modernist styles or practices | | | | Postmodernists look at modernism and say, |
| to extremes." | | | | 'There is something missing. This could be done |
| Postmodernism often refers to art in which the | | | | more effectively.' A postmodernist recycles, |
| defining line between painting and sculpture is | | | | borrows, decompiles and rebuilds classic modern |
| often blurred. These artists adopt, borrow, steal, | | | | executions into a postmodern construct that can |
| recycle and sample from earlier modern and | | | | be more easily understood and consumed. We |
| classical works. They combine or alter these | | | | are obsessed with organizing knowledge and |
| images to create new, contemporary pieces. | | | | putting it to use in the most functional way |
| They also work with and combine artistic, | | | | possible. Postmodernists posit that knowledge |
| scientific, technological, media and digital/Internet | | | | should be used for doing, not just knowing." |
| tools. | | | | An article appearing recently in The Examiner by |
| While postmodernism and postmodern art have | | | | Jim Benz, says, "Ideally, postmodern art explores |
| been around for only 50 years, before then, | | | | subjective, daily life by whatever criteria, material, |
| creative people lived and worked according to | | | | or method the artist deems effective. Frequently, |
| their principles. Two historical artists, Leonardo da | | | | the material might not exist entirely within the art |
| Vinci (1452-1519) and Louis Daguerre (1787-1851), | | | | work itself, but instead be composed of the social |
| could be called postmodernists. Da Vinci was a | | | | forces from which the work takes its context, |
| writer, architect, painter, sculptor, botanist, | | | | including the role of the viewer, the museum or |
| engineer, mathematician, musician, city planner, set | | | | gallery, the means of production, or the specific |
| designer and philosopher. Daguerre was an artist | | | | site of display." |
| and scientist, known for the invention of the | | | | Postmodern art is breaking new ground while |
| daguerreotype process of photography, an | | | | mirroring and organizing our confusing and evolving |
| architect, theater designer, panoramic painter and | | | | world. Looking at contemporary art and |
| inventor of the Diorama. | | | | postmodernism often requires viewers to see |
| Steve Furman, creator of the blog, | | | | beyond their normal perspectives, to find new |
| expedientmeans.com, is a contemporary | | | | paradigms and to expand their understanding of |
| postmodernist. He explains, "My serious interests | | | | the larger world. |
| in art, society, media and technology led me | | | | |