Week 2 - Post-Modernism - Ai Weiwei and Banksy.

Week 2 - Post-Modernism - Ai Weiwei and Banksy.

 POST-MODERNISM

This week's ALVC tutorial covers Post-Modernism. Use the ALVC texts and definitions from the internet to define the term and answer the following questions;

1. Define Post-Modernism using 8-10 bullet points that include short quotes.

• The term is used in Philosophy, literature, social sciences and architecture
• Putting something from the past and the present together
• The distinction between art and the consumer product became blurred
•  Irony
• For some it means anti-modern; for others it means the revision of modernist premises.’ (Witcombe 2000)
• Relativist thinking - 'Postmodernism is associated with relativism. Relativism is the idea that "anything goes".  - Saugstad, A (2001)
• no grand narrative "in the middle ages, belief in God and the bible gave society a grand narrative" - Saugsatd, A. (2001)
• used to refer to different, sometimes contradictory concepts

2. Use a quote by Witcombe (2000) to define the Post-Modern artist.(page 24)


" The post modern artist is "reflexive" 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" pretensions, becoming aware of his/her cultural self in history, and accelerating the process of self-conciousness." 

3. Use the table on pages 47 and 48 in your ALVC handbook to summarize the list of the features of Post-Modernity.

Social and cultural pluralism.  attention to play of surfaces. culture adapting to simulation. hyper-reality.

4. Research Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's 'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994)
in order to say what features of the work could be considered Post-Modern.

'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994), Ai Weiwei

Weiwei's work "Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo"  clearly shows Postmodernism. It is clearly seen by using a very modern icon "Coca-Cola" and placing it on an ancient vase (Urn). This is putting the past and present together. In a way, when the "Coca-Cola" logo has been placed on the Urn it is culturally disrespectful. The Urn is a sacrid piece and placing the logo onto it is culturally insensitive.

Ai Weiwei dropping a Han Dynast Urn.

The image above is also considered postmodern.  The dropping of a cultural Urn as if it is nothing when in reality it is a vey sacred piece of work.  This work shows how cultural importance and morals are not as important as they used to be. By dropping the cultural Urn in this photograph it is saying that no one would really give a damn if this happened today. This is postmodern because back in the day that would be very disrespectful.

6. Research British artist Banksy's street art, and analyze the following two works by the artist
to discuss how each work can be defined at Post-Modern.(Use your list from question 3.)

'Flower Riot', Banksy

This peice of work is clearly postmodernate. There is a riot and this man has a bouquet of flowers. Flowers are symbolised as peace and love. A riot is very well not. This is postmodernate because usually in a riot it is such a violent event and putting these two things together would not work.

Los Angeles (2008), Banksy

This work is postmodern because fast food did not exist back in the stone age. This work is very humourous.  In this piece Banksy has taken a caveman and put him in modern time.
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0242.html#