Postmodern Art 20 Lectures (Illustrated Treasury Edition)

Author: Ma Yongjian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Without the extremism of crude modern art, there would be no moderate compromise of postmodern art. Without the constant innovation and ever-changing nature of modern art, there would be no vibrant diversity and coexistence in postmodern art. Postmodernism is hybrid, not pure; compromising, not flawless; ambiguous, not clear; eccentric yet interesting—Vitruvius once angrily accused the postmodern master Joseph Beuys of always discussing God and the world but never talking about art. Beuys replied, "God and the world are art!" Yes, any art associated with postmodernism seems to add a layer of avant-garde significance. Postmodernism is a world full of temptation, accommodating all kinds of possibilities, yet it is also a pluralistic space without unified standards, challenging us to confront the enigmatic imagery it presents. Under the guise of postmodernism, artists can use any means to express the emotions they wish to convey, turning art into a personal, privately owned creation for everyone. Perhaps, it is also a phase in the history of art, waiting to be surpassed by later schools and movements, becoming a part of the artistic life.
The definition of modern and postmodern has always been contentious. Similarly, postmodern art encompasses diverse schools and complex styles, bewildering viewers. If modern art is a product of industrial civilization, then postmodern art is a product of the information age. The world no longer has a center, and art no longer has trends—"anything goes" reflects the boundless inclusivity and diverse developmental possibilities of postmodern art. Although the postmodern movement reevaluates and reselects the concepts familiar before World War II, it cannot hide the fact that art has shifted from a reckless humanization to a cold, indifferent dehumanization. This book extracts the most representative artists and works from pop art to new realism, conceptual art, hyperrealism, new painting, and earth art, guiding you into their world and allowing you to experience the most impactful expressions of contemporary society.