Postmodern sculpture abroad

Author: Pi Li
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: "Postmodernism itself is not a concept of style; at least it is not a concept of style. As the term becomes more fashionable, it often becomes somewhat ambiguous in many contexts. At times, we seem to call all rebellious and provocative art 'postmodern art.' In fact, to a large extent, postmodernism seems more suitable to be seen as a concept of historical periodization (like the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, or modernism). Postmodernism is a historical phenomenon, it is open and continuously accumulative, not closed and exclusive, therefore while there is consistency in its expression of ideas, it is often and uncertain. From this perspective, the greatest difference between postmodern sculpture and modernist sculpture does not lie in the appearance of the works, but in their creative methodology. The creative methodology of sculpture is reflected in the artist's use of materials, their focus on space, and the transformation of artistic motifs. This book focuses on the origins and evolution of these three aspects. Chap. 1 provides a detailed analysis of the two modernist masters, Henry Moore and Giacometti, while marking certain elements in the complex pre-war art that later had a huge impact on postmodern art, such as structuralism and surrealism. The purpose of this is to enumerate the legacy of modernism in the above three aspects. Chap. 2 introduces metal sculpture and kinetic sculpture, which are still within the realm of modernist sculpture. However, the purpose of this is to connect postmodernist and modernist sculpture in terms of materials and space. At the same time, metal sculpture provides a more vivid background for understanding postmodernism, while kinetic sculpture suggests the beginning of the contradiction caused by technological advancements leading to changes in appreciation habits, which poses challenges to the composition of art. This contradiction later becomes a topic of continuous exploration in postmodern sculpture in terms of technology. If there is anything this book emphasizes, then it is the first to emphasize that the linear logic of replacement or the 'challenge model' for interpreting contemporary art is at least ignorant. As we see in kinetic sculpture, metal sculpture, and even minimalism, many characteristics of postmodernism have actually existed within these 'outdated' modernist styles."