Monday Morning Modernism #14: Postmodernism

Art writer John Seed offers an introduction to Postmodern art and theory in a webinar sponsored by the Winslow Art Center.

[@jgalcantara850]

Excellent presentation in it self a work of art …..thank you

[@mymythology8799]

thx a lot John for this great lecture. it is Very interesting and useful.

[@robertspies4695]

Thank you John. I learned alot from your presentation. A few thoughts. I frequently see "modernism" contrasted with "contemporary". Do you see the latter term as equivalent with post-modernism? Also, post-modernism seems to include almost anything "edgy" excuding anything that went before except if recontextualized. So it seems logically imossible to define what the "next thing" is if nothing is excluded presently. Therefore the labels seem more defined by the period of time than anything else. Have we reached the end of isms ? Is there likely something ahead that we cannot see or prefigure? Or has the evolution of art run its course with nothing that could possbily take the culturally relevant place of a large pile of rags on a museum floor? Or. have we gone tired of "shock" ? Find it boring? Some days I think I am there. The banal aspects of popular American culture have been a huge influece since the 1960s, both as self-critical and indulgent. At what point does the artist stand aside and mock the excesses of popular culture (consumerism, social media, narcisism, etc.) and at what point does the artist hold up something more true, human, respectful of nature and contemplative? I see so much spectacle in the works you have showed us here that it seems in some way that artists have often not taken the latter approach but are valuing their participation if it amounts to self-mockery.

[@JohnSeed]

Hi Robert, I'm glad you learned from the presentation. I think there will be more "isms" but they will be blips compared to those of the past. Regarding what you say about popular culture it certainly has influenced what a friend of mine calls the "fashion show" of the high end art world. And while all of that goes on there will always be artists who are finding their own way, working from the inside out in a more authentic and non-ironic fashion.