Modernism vs. Postmodernism

Historically, modern refers to the period roughly fromthe 1860s through the 1970s (but is not restrained to this, as many artists work within the realm of modernism). It is characterized by new attitudes toward the past and present, often rejecting the past and tradition, and moving towards the future with the concept of the "avant-garde". There was also a breakdown of traditional financial support for the arts; no longer was it made for the church and the wealthy. The art movement known as modernism encompasses innumerable amounts of other movements, due to the embracing of the new - new subjects, new content. Its hard to even count all of them, let alone remember. In my head, when I think modern art, I think of the formalist, abstract art that was, in a sense, one of the most radical moves away from tradition. This kind of art, like the painting by Theo van Doesburg below, was a purification of form and medium. (Maybe not the best example, but you get the point.)



Postmodernism is just as vague, if not moreso, than Modernism. It could almost even merely just mean anything after Modernism. Postmodernism builds upon what was started in Mordernism. It revives it, turns it on its head, builds upon it, takes its subjects. Some reject modernism, and some take it and run with it. Postmodernism kinda destroys the question of "what is art?" and says that it could be anything, include anything. I'm probably not doing a good job at explaining what I think is Postmodern. I guess it's kinda like the "well... now what?" after modernism happened - so artists are pressured to pack more into their art, in terms of meaning and in terms of content. Theres a pressure to be revolutionary and avant-garde, except maybe not trying to be avant-garde is doing just that. It's confusing, I know. I can barely even talk about it. Here's an image from one of my favorite artists, Sophie Calle. Her art is about the process in which she goes about making it. These photos were taken in people's hotel rooms where Calle worked as an undercover maid. She would empty the contents of their suitcases all over the room and then take pictures of it. In doing so, she questions the line between public and private realms and the license of an artist in crossing this line.