Modernism vs Postmodernism Essay Example For Students

Modernism vs Postmodernism Essay This question highlights one of the themes central to the account of modem art offered in this course: the tension between the theoretical perspectives of, on the one hand, Modernist criticism and, on the other, an approach focused on the relationship of the art of any given period to its social, political and historical context. The two quotations given above may be interpreted as representing these polarities. It would be an oversimplification to suggest that to accept a Modernist account of modem art must imply rejection of a socio-historical view, or vice-versa the discussion between TJ Clark and Michael Fried about Pollock TV21 suggests that there is room for negotiation, if not for compromise. It is, however, arguable that a definition of postmodernism should take into consideration both the close interrelationship between Modernist criticism and mid-twentieth century abstract art, which together constituted the dominant hegemony in art from the late 1940s to the early 1960s and hence the artistic context against which postmodernism in the visual arts evolved, and the social, historical and political context within which art characterised as postmodern has developed. It seems reasonable, therefore, to start by attempting to clarify the critical positions represented by Greenberg and Burgin. Greenberg, in Modernist Painting 1961 and other writings, sets the development of modem art, specifically painting, in the context of the ideas of the Enlightenment philosopher Kant, who used logic to establish the limits of logic Art in Theory p. 755. Kant thereby established a precedent for using the techniques of a particular medium to define and refine that medium, a process referred to by Greenberg as self-criticism. This implies that painting, rather than using art to conceal art ibid by creating illusionistic space and depth, should rather use art to call attention to art ibid, that is, to emphasise the unique characteristics of the medium; the flat surface, the shape of the support, the properties of pigment ibid. Greenberg states that such a process would render art pure, that is, autonomous, free of any extraneous elements deriving from other arts, such as theatricality or narrative. The impact of a painting should thus derive from those technical aspects characteristic of painting, such as colour, form and composition. An example of the sort of painting Greenberg was advocating at the time may clarify this. Morris Louiss painting Alpha-Phi pl. D10 is exactly contemporary with the publication of Modernist Painting. It consists of bold, ragged, diagonal streaks of pure colour against an off-white ground; Louiss use of acrylic paints, which soak into the canvas, means that the colours appear integrated with the ground and hence do not disrupt the flatness of the picture plane. Its effect depends upon the arrangement of colours and the large scale of the painting which makes it occupy so much of ones visual field that it loses its character as a discrete tactile object and thereby become that much more purely a picture, a strictly visual entity Greenberg, Louis and Noland, p. 28. It is apparently devoid of references to anything other than the intrinsic qualities of forms and colours. Louiss painting, and the contemporary work of Kenneth Noland e. g. Bloom, pl 141 and Jules Olitski e. g. Twice Disarmed pl. D11 were seen by Greenberg as being how paintings should look if they are to continue the intelligible continuity of taste and tradition Art in Theory p. 760 and offer the viewer a sufficient degree of aesthetic power Modernism in Dispute p. 173 in the 1960s. Burgin, however, sees Greenbergs approach and hence, by implication, paintings such as Alpha-Phi, as the terminal point of historical trajectory. It is arguable that paintings such as those of Louis represent a point beyond which art could not be further refined, and must therefore be reassessed or stagnate. Furthermore, in the context of the major social and political upheavals of the late 1960s and thereafter, such work might appear increasingly irrelevant. From Burgins viewpoint, Greenbergs privileging of aesthetic and technical issues marginalises those types of art which can be validated by reference to their relationship with their historical context, to the way in which they represent their times. Thus Dada would be of little importance in a Greenbergian art history, but significant in the context of a history which opens onto history and which deals with representations. Art History Survey Class Syllabus EssayHis use of commodities as art is also interesting in relation to the commodification of Abstract Expressionist paintings, which were advocated as a sound financial investment in the early 1950s. The variety of work produced by Koons raises an issue not explicitly mentioned by Burgin, the eclecticism often associated with postmodernism. This, and its occasionally ephemeral nature as in the case of Puppy, made of flowers relates more closely to Jamesons sense of the postmodern as involving superficiality and deathlessness Art in Theory, p. 077. There are other issues relevant to postmodernism to which Burgin does not directly refer, such as: a critical approach to the exhibitions and museums system, which has lead to alternative ways of presenting works of art; a tendency to pastiche or parody of earlier works of art; and, in some instances, the necessity of active involvement by the viewer. While Burgins statement does not emphasise these point s, they are illustrated by his own work. What does Possession mean to you pl. 189 uses a glossy advertising-style photograph which is placed in the context of a caption about the ownership of wealth to put a different, socio-political perspective on the image, calling into question issues of gender dominance and property ownership and thus critiquing social norms. It was exhibited not as a single artwork in a gallery, but in a set of 500 copies posted in the streets of the centre of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The replication of the image and its display on the streets can be seen as critical both of the idea of the importance of orginality and of the exhibitions and museums system. A decoupling of art from the established methods of presenting it to the public seems to be characteristic of postmodernism, and is also exemplified by developments such as the Land Art of Richard Long and Robert Smithson, and the public projections of Krystof Wodiczko. These images, for instance his projection of hands holding prison bars onto a courthouse pl. D71, function, like Burgins poster, as socio-political commentary and also share with it the ephemeral quality mentioned in relation to Koons. Work by Burgin such as Any moment previous to the present moment pl. 169, which consists of text from which the viewer/reader has to construct his/her own image, highlights both Burgins view of the importance of concepts in postmodernist art, and the tendency within postmodernist art to invite the viewer to sustained active participation in the work of art. This is in direct opposition to the passive contemplation advocated by Modernist critics such as Fried who, in Art and Objecthood, claims that good art should be instantaneously present. This idea of the importance of presentness is contradicted by the title of Burgins article, The absence of presence. Taking Burgins statement as a point of departure, it is possible to connect postmodern ideas to a diverse range of works of art, which are in turn associated with a series of contemporary concepts and concerns. While Burgin provides a means of distinguishing postmodernism from Modernism in art, there remains the problem of how to, or indeed whether, one ought to distinguish qualitatively between different postmodernist works. If social relevance is a characteristic of postmodernism, then degree or accuracy of social relevance may be used as an evaluative tool; however, as Harrison and Wood have pointed out see Modernism in Dispute, p. 240 radically critical work may become marginalised and lose its ability to challenge. Furthermore, if the main impact of a work depends on its contemporary relevance, it is likely to lose conceptual value with the passage of time; Haackes The Safety Net pl. D24 borrows its meaning from contemporary politics rather than conforming with Greenbergs idea of art as self-defining, and is hence now arguably of historic rather than artistic interest. The aesthetic of Greenbergian Modernism may never recover a dominant position within art history but, as Harrison and Wood have suggested, the contingency of the historical is only half the point of art.