1.
· - Post-modernism can be seen as a “philosophical movement away from the viewpoint of modernism.”
· - It questions and attacks the use of “sharp classifications such as male versus female, white versus black, and imperial versus colonial.”
· - It further developed from the “modernistic thought.”
· - Post-modernism is “composed by two part post and modern.” Post means “after” in Latin, and “modernism” reflects on the modern period.
· - The “coming after” of modernism in the 20th century.
· - It was during Postmodernism when we started to see an “indifference to social concerns.”
· - When society was shied away from “strict theoretical constraints.”
· - Post-modernism is open, “unbounded, and concerned with process and becoming.”
· - It is very closely synced to what “is also called New Age thinking.”
-Wikipedia. (n.d). Retrieved July 26, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism
-Essortment. (n.d). Retrieved July 26, 2011 from http://www.essortment.com/definition-postmodernism-20903.html
-Your Dictionary. (n.d. Retrieved July 26, 2011 from http://www.yourdictionary.com/postmodernism
-Witcombe, C. (2000). Modernism and Postmodernism. Retrieved 29 January, 2004 from http://witcombe.sbc.edu/modernism/modpostmod.html
-Saugstad, A. (2001). Postmodernism: What is it, What is Wrong with it? Retrieved 9 October, 2007 from http://goinside.co/01/1/postmod.html
2. “The post-modern artist is reflective in that he/she is self-aware and consciously involved in a process of thinking about him/herself and society in a deconstructive manner, ‘demasking’ pretentions, becoming aware of his/her cultural self in history, and accelerating the process of self-consciousness.”
- AUT University. (2011). Academic Literacies in Visual Communications 2: Resource Book. New Zealand, Auckland: Lyceum Press
3. It was during Post-modernism when we began to see the acceptance of “social and cultural pluralism.” That is also when the need for “depth” wasn’t as significant. There was soon an “attention to play of surfaces.” The people of the post-modernist era started to adapt to “simulation, visual media becoming undifferentiated equivalent forms.” “Hyper-reality” and “image saturation” became much more dominant than “real” images. The world saw emergence of “pop culture” and also “hybrid cultural forms.” Art was no longer “authenticated by [the] artist” instead it was “authenticated by [the] audience.” Irony was a new concept which challenged “official seriousness.” During modernity there was a “sense of clear generic boundaries,” these boundaries were soon vanished during post-modernism.
- AUT University. (2011). Academic Literacies in Visual Communications 2: Resource Book. New Zealand, Auckland: Lyceum Press.
5. First at foremost he has “challenged his country's political authority and literally destroyed its cultural traditions.” China was outraged when this contemporary artist smashed a 2000 year old Dynasty urn. To make matters worse Ai then paints “the Coca-Cola logo onto yet another priceless Han Dynasty urn.” This to me is something which can be related to the people involved in the “Dada” movement. “Instead of writing “R. Mutt” on a urinal, as [Marcel] Duchamp did,” he paints a logo which is very well known on a Dynasty urn which is cherished in his culture. Also the fact that this is a sculpture and not a mimetic painting makes it very post-modern. Ai challenges “official seriousness” with the Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo. He demands attention and forces the viewer to really think about the reason behind the piece. It isn’t blatantly obvious which is also a common feature practised by post-modern artists.
- Arthuri Miller. (n.d. Retrieved July 30, 2011 from http://www.arthurimiller.com/journalism/the-worlds-of-ai-weiwei/
- AUT University. (2011). Academic Literacies in Visual Communications 2: Resource Book. New Zealand, Auckland: Lyceum Press
- Chronicle Online. (n.d. Retrieved July 30, 2011 from http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov06/Chinese.artist.dea.html
6. Banksy is a world renowned artist who creates graffiti masterpieces which leave his audience in wonder as to what he is trying to portray through it just like Ai. Banksy is very political with his pieces and isn’t scared to express his ideas, which again are very post-modern like. 'Flower Riot', leaves us to wonder “does the image mean are we powerless? Flowers are so ephemeral, so fragile. How could they possibly hurt anything? Or are the flowers a symbol of the intangible power that comes from belief and hope and the certainty of truth?” Like a lot of artists from the “Dada” movement, Banksy moves away from the traditional use of paints and canvas which I truly adore as he is one of my favourite artists. Some people may see his works as vandalism but I see it as post-modern art which is to be admired. They see him to be a “a troublemaker, but he never gets caught” just like Ai.
In Los Angeles (2008), Banksy explores “an invisible world beyond our sense perceptions.” You would obviously never see a monkey walking with food on a tray as humans do. We see a lot of these concepts in post-modern art works as artists are now expressing ideas which evolve from the subconscious mind. Also in a strange way it is like he is also exploring the idea of pluralism and acceptance of apes in our society as we aren’t all the same but we humans do ‘originate from apes.’ The image looks as though it is a mix between an ape and a caveman. Banksy also like Ai, steps away from serious art and makes some of his pieces quite amusing to look at despite having a strong political meaning behind it.
- Arthuri Miller. (n.d. Retrieved July 30, 2011 from http://www.arthurimiller.com/journalism/the-worlds-of-ai-weiwei/
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ReplyDeleteWhen I look at the above piece Los Angeles (2008) I get thos strong sense of is this all we have become? Banksy being the political activist that he is questions the foundations of society. As humans we have evolved from apes into man. To become what? Fast food eaters and morbidly obese.What looks like a bone located in the cavemans left hand represents that we as humans have a long way to go. I think it is quite funny that Ai weiwei painted a priceless Han Dynasty Urn. I would have too, it makes a mockery out of all of China's cultural traditions that they live by. Coca Cola is the best selling drink in the world, for me the Coca Cola logo represents money and that people are willing to trade in all that they believe in for a dollar. Aside from the underline seriousness that these pieces represent both artist have played arpund with different ideas to create humour. Portraying art as we see it, defining the post-modernism artist.
ReplyDeleteI like the images you have chosen especially 'The Simpson's' one as it represent a famous painting by Salvador Sali, it shows a modernist feature of painting and has humour to it like the Banksy does to his work. Bansky is known as an "art terrorist" and reflects irony and humour throughout his works. I Think you have made a good point of the person in a riot throwing a bouquet of flowers being peaceful. The work is almost ironic as it shows opposites, eg instead of throwing something harmful and dangerous, he is throwing flowers, thus showing the idea of spreading peace.
ReplyDeleteBanksy's work is very interesting as it makes me think twice about his work of what he is trying to say in the graffiti image.Most of his works symbolised the postmodernist and political.Like what you have said ,He expressing ideas which evolve from the subconscious mind.He dare to make something different to let people see and think deeper,just like Ai Weiwei he make a chinese urn with a 'coca cola' logo ,which symbolised about our modern life-style today.However I really enjoyed both artists.
ReplyDeleteAi weiwei is a true chinese man even though he trashed those precious urns it doesnt mean he is at wrong. I agree with you that fellow chinese citizens were outraged when he did this but i think what he did was alright as he is a modernist artist adn how he mixed old and new together is something worht looking at as i think that why is the urn so precious? it doesnt make money or make people rich, just because its been there for centuries it just means that its old. I think Ai weiwei is trying to mix in some western feel to china when he used the CoCa Cola logo onto yet another so called precious urn.
ReplyDeleteAs for Banksy i agree with you that his artworks make poeple think more in depth and his concept of using something unbelievable but making it look like something else believable which is quite interesting.
I like your statement.Ai Weiwei create provocative and subversive photographs, installations and sculptures using found objects and ancient relics. Influenced by Dada, Duchamp and Warhol. This is the post-modern characteristics. His work with subversion, the reconstruction of traditional cultural symbols to express the digestion of authority and tradition and neglect.you are right that Banksy also like Ai, makes some of his pieces quite amusing to look at despite having a strong political meaning behind it.Banksy's works have dealt with an array of political and social themes. In 'Flower Riot', Flowers are so ephemeral, so fragile. How could they possibly hurt anything? everyone thinking about the problem. I think This bouquet of flowers on behalf of Friendship，and throwning to the symbol of peace,this is exactly the characteristics of post-modern.
ReplyDeleteHey Cyndee!
ReplyDeleteYeah I agree with what you were saying about the Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola Logo and how it “demands attention” and makes us think about the reason behind it. It is true that his intentions in creating this work was not at all obvious, I mean what could a few thousand year old vase have anything to do with the Coca-Cola logo? That makes a strong referral to postmodernism also by simply voicing his opinions through his work. This urn also makes strong statements about the loss of Chinese culture and traditions by the overpowering of Western culture, as Coca-Cola is a marker of the West, and painting it on a very old traditional piece of work is quite political. And as for Banksy’s work, I found it interesting how you pointed out that he is like other postmodern artist whose ideas evolve from the subconscious mind and what you were saying about his exploration of accepting apes into our society. That point has made me think about our evolution and how it is said we have evolved from apes, yet we still see them as a much lesser animal than ourselves. We may be smarter in so many ways but we still have much we could learn from “lesser animals” who have great skills in survival and understand the importance of unity of families and such
Banksy is one of the famous artist by graffity. His works are amazing and interesting. He has his own skyle and gives us messages through the graffiti images.
ReplyDeleteHe used symbolism in the works of postmodernist and political. And the chinese artist Ai Weiwei also one of the modernist artist that mixed old styles and new thing and
create totally new works. On both artist's comments on your blog i agree with you that two artists artworks make poeple think more in depth.
I really enjoyed Banksy’s graffiti stencil ‘flower riot’. His idea of promoting peace through the art of graffiti is very interesting. ‘Flower riot’ shows a figure of a masked man throwing a bouquet of flowers instead of a bomb and I really agree with this idea of promoting peace. I also like the stencil of the caveman holding a tray as if he had just received an order from McDonalds or something. His idea of taking the caveman from the past and placing them together with the tray of food is really smart. I have also noticed with these two stencils, they both have two different images that don’t go together and puts them together to create a picture. Both in which they have their own purposes and meanings.
ReplyDeleteI found it really interesting how you talk about China's reaction to Ai Weiwei's controversial work with those ancient Han Dynasty urns. They were outraged, but in reality he was just making a point that China as a whole is nothing like what it used to be. I think it is really brave of Weiwei to stand up to the Chinese Government and authorities in the way that he did. Banksy is one of my favourite artists, but I never really thought about the specific meanings behind his works till now. I like how you compare him and Ai Weiwei through the way that they both don't take they work completely seriousy, and through using humor, their art is so much more powerful.
ReplyDelete