Postmodernism

Postmodernism:

• pomo is cliche of post-modernism
• function and materials are modernist structures
• a lot of modernist structures didn't work
• postmodernism can be theoretical approach, embrace different things
• wrestling with dualities, mixing of cultures, high and low
• postmodernism seen in art, design, literature, architecture
• emphasis on feel rather than rationale
• emphasis on surface, texture and materials
• self-consciousness or self-referencing
• mixes high and low, historical references, vernacular
• Banksy is example, street artist, making lots of money off work
• emphasis on form over function
• direct confrontation to sterile office modernist aesthetic
• playing with design, putting text block at angle, expanding parameters
• in the 60s people reacting to modernism, others pushing boundaries
• language of poster, untraditional use of space and rags
• playing with logo, putting it on its side, bending it, maintains structure
• Wolfgang Weingart 1969 working with lead type, experimenting
• Weingart uses open systems, playful elements
• teacher at Basel School of Design, gets bored with international style
• starts experimenting and breaking from confines
• key proponent because he is a teacher at important school
• had very important students who became influential designers
• Weingart was teacher of Lee Willett (sp)
• experimenting with sans serif, letter spacing, stair-stepping rules
• uses diagonal type, reversing type out of bars, variations within word
• still underpinning of structure, but less conformity
• his student Dan Freedman uses variety of letterforms, float in space
• studied at Basel 60s and 70s and then taught at Yale
• tradition of Basel students teaching at prestigious US schools
• taking simple bit of text and saying what if, pushing variation
• mentality of having basis in theory and logic and pushing it farther
• 1980 ad for china club, elements of Lissitsky, contemporary
• Cal Institute of Arts lots of floating objects, texture orgy
• Memphis Design Group, based out of Milan
• want to erase International design, pull all textures and colors together
• pull from ancient, popular, function is secondary to style
• 70s artwork reflected arena rock music epicness of time
• the 80s is completely reactionary, saturation, objectification
• other reaction is punk, Sex Pistols and Buzzcocks
• Beatles transition reminiscent of aesthetics changing at time
• cliches of these musicians from their eras, iconic looks
• The Situationists modern group of Dadaists
• Situationists reacting to modernism, things have no meaning
• create situations, art that doesn't make sense, art poking fun
• absurdism in art, causing a reaction amongst people
• Sex Pistols form in 1976, first album in 1977
• Buzzcocks were poor kids from Manchester, just wanted to make band
• Charles Anderson appropriating cultural language and repackaging it
• up until this point in mid-80s, packaging didn't look like this
• Anderson uses illustration reminiscent of classical, changes language
• appropriating vernacular, not clean or modern, but rustic
• realized that historical vernacular affects customer more
• Peter Seville involved with music posters and graphics
• creates an aesthetic through industrial inspired graphics in The Factory
• creates famous Joy Division wave/mountain pattern
• Vaughn Olliver is another English designer, 4AD Records
• designers still using traditional means, shift happens with Mac in 80s
• Mac changes technology and therefore the way people design
• first uses were more about type setting than designing
• Layering, pixels, very digital looking due to computer
• Emigre was underground design magazine at time of formation
• Katherine McCoy was Cranbrook student, theoretical look at design
• student Jeff Keating? looking at French literature, deconstructive theory
• Ed Fella does everything by hand, creating expressive typography
• look for copies of Raygun or Beach Culture and buy them
• Dave Carson does same lecture every time, hide if he ever comes here
• post-modernists create work that shocks, readability not important
• active engagement becomes better form of communication
• the fact that it has become a more effective form in a way makes it modernist
• writing the type, doing it yourself, mixing high and low
• Sagmeister very charismatic, sincere German artist, hero worship
• lots of clean, competent work, with good clients

I've never really thought of myself in terms of modernist or postmodernist, but I guess if I had to choose then I'd say I'm a postmodernist. Even though technology is in many ways unavoidable in today's society, I would never really say I'm a proponent of technological growth. I think I'm too much of a romantic for that. I think there's so much to be valued in handcraft and using what's available, that I can't imagine a world run by technology. I think in many ways it takes away from the original idea or thought process behind the designer, unless your intention was perfection I guess. It's almost scary to me that there are these underlying rules or restrictions in the modern design aesthetic that I feel at times I am being forced to follow. Experimentation is so important to me and in many ways I feel I fail at even that..which is ridiculous to say because it's an experiment..there is no right or wrong. But I often feel like I can't make things that are unclean and random, and it frustrates me all the time. Vectors are frighteningly abundant and I just want someone to write in dirt and get away with it..even better if that person is me. One thing I will say about the negatives of postmodernism is that I think it can often cross the line into gaudy and overly cliche. I remember when I first saw Las Vegas..now I knew it was supposed to be disgustingly cheesy and bright, but I still held on to this idea that there would be this air of old glamour or that it would provide me with this sort of wave of nostalgia..but instead I just found it to be horribly fake and touristy..just so run down that it was no longer funny, but sad. So while I love the eccentricity and freedom of postmodernism and concept of dualities, I feel that form cannot always replace function.