Postmodernism in Modern Society - Research Paper Example

?POSTMODERNISM IN MODERN SOCIETY s Postmodernism in Modern Society In the last few decades, there have been remarkable revolutions in the fields of visual arts and film sector. The changes in the ways of doing things in the contemporary arts sector are believed to be brought about by postmodernism. Generally, postmodernism can be defined as a way of looking and approaching traditional ideas in a non-traditional approach. As stipulated by postmodernism believers, everything is subject to change in arts and architecture sectors. There has been a contracting debate on postmodernism among architects and plastic and visual artists. As defined by architectures, postmodernism is taking half from the traditional ways of doing things and getting the others from supplementary sources to develop a blended component. It entails using modern approach to address traditional issues in architecture. The same thing applies to visual arts. In visual arts, postmodernism is the process of blending conventional arts with new arts. There has been mixture of traditional medium of printing and the modern means of printing and designing in modern visual arts. In music, postmodernism has a remarkable impact to the method of dancing, instruments used and the costumes used in dancing. Although traditional music does not significantly change, there are some aspects of the music which are affected by postmodernism. Change in music arts, styles, and costumes has an impact on artist way of living.1 Postmodernism in visual arts has a complex history. Many scholars in the field are not confident in using the term since they believe it wiped away practices and techniques that existed in the field over the last thirty years. Although, there is no agreement on the components appropriate to define the current changes in visual art, postmodern arts is described as the art developed after the diminish of modern arts in 1960s. The movement that defines postmodernism includes the pattern painting in the mid 1970s. During this time, Americans celebrated both non-geometric and geometric arts. Artists were reacting against the Puritanism of negligible and abstract arts. The second widespread movement was Neo-Expressionism which occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At this time, practitioners were advocating for the return of traditional sculptures and painting art. This movement was common among German expressionists. There was also another movement that occurred in mid 1980s called Neo-Geo. Practitioners in this movement were parodying the previous movements. They used Day-Glo colors to communicate their message. The actors in this movement were contradicting with Neo-Expressionist idea on postmodernism. The other commonly known movement was New British sculpture. This involved the sculptures of common artists at that time. According to them, there was decay in United Kingdom urban environment which led to waste of consumer community in the country. They also intended to explore the manners in which different objects were given meaning in the society. There was also Super-Realism movement which took place between 1960s and 1970s. This movement was also called Photo-Realism. The pioneers of this movement were trying to express their dissatisfaction with the application of photography in the arts of painting. Nevertheless, their concern was on technical predicament of putting light and tones on a surface instead of general verisimilitude.2 In general, postmodernism art is due to the reaction of modernist arts obsession. Postmodernism is the reintroduction of morals, ornaments and decorations in art and sculptures. At around 1967, art magazines were occupied with sleek cube form, but in 1969, this was substituted with photographic image, language, ongoing process and natural substances. Most of postmodern artists portray nonchalance in addressing mismatched styles. They combine different style in one art. In this case, they lack purity and uniformity in their work. Additionally, different art styles coexist and are applied together in the same art. In addition, postmodern artists rely on vernacular in their activities. This is contrary to modernists’ artists who attempt to have a common meaning to different symbols in visual arts. Artists in postmodern period use shapes and color with very limited restrictions. They also apply adequate imagination in their daily activities. Besides, there is demonstration of unconformity in the regulations that govern visual arts. There is as well lack of a systematic approach in their arts. Lack of systematic approach has brought about contradictions and lack of respect on aesthetic reunions. Furthermore, there is extravagant demonstration of ego among postmodern artists. On the other hand, traditional drawing and printing have as well played a significant role in developing postmodernist arts in the contemporary world. This is due to the fact that drawing and painting that existed in postmodernism are to some extent tainted tools. Some modernist aspects such as videos, electronic, media, land arts are greatly politicized. A good number of the assumptions on modernist drawings which led to the emergence of postmodernist entail scriptures which were initially recognized for its viewing condition such as enclosed integrity and their unlikeliest to other changes. The postmodernist sculptures are generally with common color and are exposed to any form of destruction. On the other hand, the process of manufacturing a sculpture was equal to the quality of the finished product. The quality of the sculpture made in postmodernism is fabricated by different professionals. Modernist sculptures were made from traditional and uniform materials. However, in postmodernism, sculptures are made from different materials and using different manufacturing methods such as molding, welding, and bolting. The nature in which sculpture changed their meaning, components, and way of fabrication played a significant role in the emergence and development of postmodernism. In general, some of the main characteristics of postmodernism sculptures includes: increases in the use of technology such as computer and electronic machinery in the development, over emphasis on the color in the sculpture, public gallery which can be accessed by everybody, overreliance on the manufacturing procedure more than the quality of the finished product, and the change in the component of a sculpture. All this characteristics explain the nature of postmodernism sculpture.3 Postmodern theory has also been linked to development in mass communication as well as the manner in which sound and pictures are developed electronically. In this case, more emphasis is on television. Due to defiance in generalization and simplification, television is taken to be more inclined to postmodernism than any other media service. Additionally, television is perceived to be more postmodern since it operates moderately differently from some principles that govern modernist arts. The quality of the television porgrammes as well as its dynamic is a matter of concern among modernist artists. This has to do with the manner in which television uses image and sound, frequent turnover of images as well as the capability of the viewer to change channels. The extension of television customers’ culture is also another important area of consideration among postmodernism theorists. Television has led to the advancement of economic, technological, and industrial development among contemporary society. Some of the main areas where television has been blamed for enhancing postmodern are reception, exhibition, and production. In production, unlike in modernist way of production, television does not have an individual creator. The development of a programme involves different players who take different specific role. This is despite presence of talented artists who have the capability of developing the programme independently. Television porgrammes are developed by a team but not a single talented person. Before a programme is presented to the customer, it passes through hands of different professionals. As a result of this, the way television develops its porgrammes does not conform to the requirement of a handcraft. Individuals are not given adequate opportunity to put all their capacity in their arts. On the other hand, the use of cable channels and satellites underrate the contribution of the author. In modernist, presentation porgrammes were developed depending on individual capability.4. On the other hand, television services portray postmodernism in its style of exhibition. Although television porgrammes are developed only once, it may appear many times on an indefinite number of screens. This is different to modernist art sculptures and paintings which can only appear once in a certain specific area. In this case, television programme can be said to have diversity built into it. Additionally, television programme can be saved, copied, reshown, and exchanged as many time as possible on DVDs and video tapes all over the world. In reference to this, television porgramme is an art that can be owned by anybody in the world of art. On the other hand, television porgrammes lack fixed location as it can be revealed at any place in the world and at any time. The way television porgrammes are shown to customers is more of postmodernism than modernism. In conventional arts, artifacts were confined in a specific site and were accessed by specific people. However, this is not the case with television porgrammes. Television is a public media watched at common places such as homes and other social areas. They are watched by unlimited number of audience. The number of places where television porgrammes can be watched is equivalent to the number of television set in the world. Television porgrammes are also used in different ways by different people. Theoretically, there are no restrictions on who can watch television porgrammes, when they can be watched as well as how this porgrammes can be watched. Unlike traditional artifacts, there is no approved behavior in watching television porgrammes. Additionally, unlike in the modernist arts where arts and sculptures were watched in a pure and specific time, television porgrammes can be watched at any time and in different styles. They are also watched for different purpose unlike modernist arts and sculptures which are viewed for certain specific purpose. In general, the consumptions of television porgrammes are unpredictable and irregular.5 In conclusion, postmodernism is a recent development which has significantly affected visual arts and film sector. The meanings which were initially attached to different arts and sculpture have been affected considerably by postmodernism. There have been several movements and activities which have been associated with postmodernism. Different scholars have condemned postmodernism for killing traditional arts and sculptures. Postmodernism has developed impurity in arts and film sector. On the other hand, social media have a noteworthy role in necessitating postmodernism. Television in particular has received frequent criticism from modernist specialist on their role in enhancing postmodernism. Despite of the critics, television has significantly led to cultural integration among different international culture. Additionally, modern technologies have a credit on postmodernism. Modern technologies have replaced the traditional methods which were used in visual arts. It has also enhanced division of labor and specialization which have replaced individual effort in arts. Bibliography Charles, Jencks. “Postmodern and late modern: The essential definition.” Chicago review (1987), 35, 4, 31-48. Fredric, James. “Postmodernism or the cultural logic of late capitalism.” Journals of American art studies. (1984): 53-93. Sharon, Rowe. “Dance knowledge: We dance for knowledge.” Dance research journals. (1974): 33-66. “Ward visual arts. Issues in high and low culture, part two visual arts.” Journal of Visual Arts. (1988): 161-177. WoodsVisualArts. “Postmodernism in visual art, sculpture and the design arts.” Journals of Visual Arts. (1989): 85-144. Read More