Verified Document

Art Theory: Paradigms, Modernism, And Term Paper

"This means that there will be as many different forms of postmodernism as there were high modernisms in place, since the former are at least initially specific and local reactions against those models." One of the key transitional moments from modernism to postmodernism, frequently cited by a number of sources, is Marcel Duchamp's decision to display a urinal in an art gallery; this disruptive moment effectively shattered previous paradigms, thus giving way to an "opening up" of boundaries in art that Duchamp perceived as restrictive.

In art, one of the more recognizable features of postmodernism is pastiche.

Pastiche is contingent on the paradigm of "the death of the author," or the end of individualism, as it was previously known under Modernism. As it is impossible to be original, to have a unique style because "everything has been done before," postmodernist discourse is concerned with using previous styles in a playful fashion, almost like a performer might try on different masks in order to "become" different characters. Of course, the sources for pastiche need not be strictly other works of art; they can also come from popular culture.

Artists and theorists working out of the paradigm of postmodernism actively seek to erase the boundaries that have traditionally separated high culture from popular culture. This came to the forefront most notably in the Pop Art of Andy Warhol...

Parts of this document are hidden

View Full Document
svg-one

Many other postmodern artists have incorporated elements of popular culture into their work, whereas Modernists would have merely quoted elements of popular culture. (From this vantage point, then, it is vital to note that the works of painters like Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns occupy an ambiguous, and thus transitory, zone between Modernism and Postmodernism.) by integrating such seemingly antagonistic qualities into their work, postmodern artists and theorists effectively make it difficult to tell which "category" a work is meant to fit into. This brings us back to the disruption of paradigms, as we outlined in the beginning of this paper.
Works Cited

Jameson, Frederic. "Postmodernism and Consumer Society." Retrieved May 14, 2008, at http://evans-experientialism.freewebspace.com/jameson_postmodernism_consumer.htm.

Kermode, Frank. The Sense of an Ending. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1967.

Kermode, p. 24.

Jameson.

According to Jameson, "pastiche is, like parody, the imitation of a peculiar or unique style, the wearing of a stylistic mask, speech in a dead language: but it is a neutral practice of such mimicry, without parody's ulterior motive, without the satirical impulse, without laughter, without that still latent feeling that there exists something normal compared to which what is being imitated is rather comic."

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Jameson, Frederic. "Postmodernism and Consumer Society." Retrieved May 14, 2008, at http://evans-experientialism.freewebspace.com/jameson_postmodernism_consumer.htm.

Kermode, Frank. The Sense of an Ending. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1967.

Kermode, p. 24.

Jameson.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Postmodernism Post Modernism and Individualism and Responsibility
Words: 3652 Length: 13 Document Type: Term Paper

Postmodernism Post Modernism and Individualism and Responsibility Introduction and Postmodern Definition Understanding the postmodern paradigm is a little like looking in to a bowl of spaghetti, and without using any utensils, trying to determine how many individual pieces of spaghetti are present, and what is their average length. The postmodern thought process which now dominates our culture is inter-twining, complex philosophy which is the combination of failed modern thought, along with the new

Rock Modernism Rock Music and
Words: 2586 Length: 7 Document Type: Thesis

This is to say that where a piece of popular culture may lack the capacity to alter -- whether through paradigm shift, revolution or evolution -- the greater consciousness of the culture in which it has been produced and proliferated, it is likely to receive the disregard of cultural critics. And in a manner, there are concrete historical ways in which we can trace the line of distinction. In the

Thomas Kuhn's the Structure of
Words: 3200 Length: 11 Document Type: Term Paper

What they had regarded as the most certain of all theories turned out to be in need of serious revision. In reaction, they resolved never again to bestow their faith in scientific truth unconditionally. Skepticism, not certainty, became their watchword. (ibid) The implication of Kuhn's work was that science was seen to be dependent on history. It was no longer superior to historical analysis but could only be understood within the

Presumption, Often Promulgated by Scholars
Words: 4661 Length: 10 Document Type: Essay

They goal for globalization is to increase material wealth and the distribution of goods and services through a more international division of labor and then, in turn, a process in which regional cultures integrate through communication, transportation and trade. The overall theory is that if countries are tied together cooperatively economically, they will not have needed to become political enemies (Smith 2007). Notice the continuum here -- globalization, like

Women Are Portrayed in Late
Words: 9385 Length: 34 Document Type: Term Paper

(269) It would seem that the artists and the press of the era both recognized a hot commodity when they saw one, and in this pre-Internet/Cable/Hustler era, beautiful women portrayed in a lascivious fashion would naturally appeal to the prurient interests of the men of the day who might well have been personally fed up with the Victorian morals that controlled and dominated their lives otherwise. In this regard, Pyne

Challenges and Strengths
Words: 621 Length: 2 Document Type: Dissertation or Thesis complete

Postmodernism and Post-Positivism Challenges and Strengths Post-positivism vs. postmodernism Two of the dominant paradigms within the modern epistemological discourse are that of post-positivism and postmodernism. They are often used relatively loosely and postmodernism in particular is deployed in a very flexible manner, to denote a form of art based upon pastiche and humor with a kind of ironic, self-referential quality. The difficulty of defining postmodernism is due to the fact that the philosophy

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now