Modern vs Postmodern

Trends & styles - chapter 9

67 is fine art

What is Modernism?

What could
Postmodernism mean then?
 

'post' = 'after' (Latin)
 

Modernism or Postmodernism? Take a guess!
 

+

=

Modernism (1900-1960)*

  • Simplicity & minimalism
  • Essentialism: less is more
  • Form follows function
  • Original, creative, new
  • Coherence & stability; a clear & focused idea
*Categorisation in time is always artificial!

Postmodernism (1960-now)*

  • Mixing styles 
  • Eclectism: more is more
  • Form follows emotion
  • References to old and new ('meta' = about)
  • Irony, humour, playfulness, absurdity
*Categorisation in time is always artificial!

Another example of Modernism:
BAUHAUS (1919-1933)

  • German school of art, design & architecture
  • Liberal & creative students, including many women
  • Focus on minimal, functional, modern design

   Layout: simple & minimalistic

  • STRUCTURE
four blocks, one coherent square 
  • CONTRAST
red versus blue, dark background

  • REPETITION
font & colours
  • ALIGNMENT
justified: vertical lines

 

Another example of Modernism:
CONSTRUCTIVISM (1913-1920s)

  • Russian design movement after revolution
  • Experimental artists for constructive progress
  • Modernist design for propaganda

   Layout: simple & minimalistic

  • STRUCTURE
circle + triangle + blocks

  • CONTRAST
red, blue, green, black, white

  • REPETITION
fonts, colours, geometric shapes

  • ALIGNMENT
diagonal alignment → megaphone
“Lengiz. Books on all branches of knowledge.”

An example of almost Postmodernism:
POP ART (1950s-1960s)

  • British & American art movement
inspired by mass media and consumer culture
  • Artists used popular imagery from ads, comics, celebrities (readymades)
  • Colourful, playful and accessible designs

An example of

Postmodern architecture

Modernism

Postmodernism

Example of Postmodern design

  • Ray Gun: American music magazine (90s)
  • Designer: David Carson
  • Postmodern design: mixing of styles, 'chaotic'

   Layout: 'chaotic' style

  • STRUCTURE
portrait +overlapping text layers

  • CONTRAST
black/white photo vs.colour;
clean face vs. chaotic font

  • REPETITION
colour & distressed typography

  • ALIGNMENT
broken alignment → text ignores grid, follows visual rhythm

To conclude:
some more examples of Postmodern culture 

> Chaotic & destructive 
​> No clean, structured design: brownish-yellow filter, gritty
> Creative and original, 
yet massively popular ​ ​

Title Text

The 1980s
The blooming period of Postmodernism
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
Excerpt from the book I Want My MTV,
The Uncensored Story Of The Music Revolution (Rob Tannenbaum & Craig Marks, 2011)