Post Modern Post Modern PrinciplesPrinciples

Looking at art today through Looking at art today through more current categories more current categories

Why come up with Why come up with moremore terms terms to discuss art?to discuss art?

Today’s artists and educators alike have come to Today’s artists and educators alike have come to realize that the traditional 7 + 7 (elements & realize that the traditional 7 + 7 (elements & principles) have a strong hold on how we make/ principles) have a strong hold on how we make/ look at our artlook at our art

Art today needed to be created and observed in Art today needed to be created and observed in non-traditional ways- hence the 8 post modern non-traditional ways- hence the 8 post modern principles: principles: appropriation, juxtaposition, appropriation, juxtaposition, recontextualization, layering, interaction of text and recontextualization, layering, interaction of text and image, hybridity, gazingimage, hybridity, gazing and and representin’representin’

The ‘traditional’ principles still have a place in The ‘traditional’ principles still have a place in discussing art of the past/ in general understanding discussing art of the past/ in general understanding works specific parts BUT the post modern principles works specific parts BUT the post modern principles give a new interesting twist in creating and looking give a new interesting twist in creating and looking at art of today at art of today

PM Principle #1: AppropriationPM Principle #1: Appropriation Have you ever copied an image Have you ever copied an image

from a photograph, advertisement, from a photograph, advertisement, or other source? When it is OK to do or other source? When it is OK to do this? When is it not OK? this? When is it not OK?

We live in a culture that overflows We live in a culture that overflows with images and objects. From with images and objects. From television to the Internet, from the television to the Internet, from the mall to the junkyard, we are mall to the junkyard, we are surrounded by words, images, and surrounded by words, images, and objects that are cheap, or free and objects that are cheap, or free and throwaway. It is not surprising that throwaway. It is not surprising that artists today incorporate this stuff artists today incorporate this stuff into their creative expression. into their creative expression.

To appropriate To appropriate is to borrow or is to borrow or recycle.recycle. Appropriation is the Appropriation is the practice of creating new work by practice of creating new work by taking a preexisting image from taking a preexisting image from another source—art history books, another source—art history books, advertisements, the media—and advertisements, the media—and transforming or combining it with transforming or combining it with new ones. new ones. Barbra Kruger. C 2006

PM Principle #2: JuxtapositionPM Principle #2: Juxtaposition Juxtaposition Juxtaposition is when is when

an artist brings an artist brings together radically together radically different elementsdifferent elements

This concept is This concept is frequently used in frequently used in contemporary art contemporary art works where images works where images and objects from and objects from various materials or various materials or themes come themes come together in together in intentional clashesintentional clashes

‘Fur Teacup’ Meret Oppenheim 1936

PM Principle #3: PM Principle #3: RecontextualizationRecontextualization

This 19-lettered term This 19-lettered term refers refers to positioning a to positioning a familiar image in familiar image in relationship to relationship to pictures, symbols, or pictures, symbols, or texts with which it is texts with which it is not usually associated.not usually associated.

This recombination of This recombination of material generates material generates meaning in an artwork meaning in an artwork that would not that would not otherwise resultotherwise result

What materials did What materials did Hoch combine? What Hoch combine? What meanings possibly meanings possibly result?result?

Collage by Hannah Hoch

PM Principle #4: LayeringPM Principle #4: Layering ““As images become As images become

cheap and plentiful, cheap and plentiful, they are no longer they are no longer treated as precious, but treated as precious, but instead are often instead are often literally piled on top of literally piled on top of each other” – Gudeeach other” – Gude

Layering refers to the Layering refers to the overlapping of visual overlapping of visual informationinformation saturating saturating art surfaces as well as art surfaces as well as creating complex creating complex themesthemes

Technologies such as Technologies such as photoshop and digital photoshop and digital cameras are making this cameras are making this principle particularly principle particularly popularpopular

David Salle, 1989

PM Principle #5: Interaction of PM Principle #5: Interaction of Text & ImageText & Image

This principle simply This principle simply refers to refers to the interplay the interplay between text and between text and imageryimagery

The text does not The text does not necessarily have to necessarily have to describe the image or describe the image or vice versa- in fact, as vice versa- in fact, as the example to the the example to the right illustrates, a more right illustrates, a more interpretive reading interpretive reading results- leaves room for results- leaves room for a more flexible readinga more flexible reading

Barbra Kruger

PM Principle #6: HybridityPM Principle #6: Hybridity In science, In science, a hybrid is created by a hybrid is created by

mixing the characteristic of two mixing the characteristic of two different species in order to different species in order to create one that is better or create one that is better or strongerstronger. In an automobile, a . In an automobile, a hybrid combines an electric motor hybrid combines an electric motor with a gasoline engine. with a gasoline engine. What are some plants or animals What are some plants or animals that are hybrids? that are hybrids? How could this idea transfer when How could this idea transfer when we use the term hybridity to we use the term hybridity to describe contemporary art? describe contemporary art?

Artists today are comfortable Artists today are comfortable using whatever seems best to using whatever seems best to fully investigate and express their fully investigate and express their ideas or concepts and often move ideas or concepts and often move among different media and among different media and techniques to express new things techniques to express new things in their work. One approach to in their work. One approach to understanding art today involves understanding art today involves identifying what media and identifying what media and materials the artists chose and materials the artists chose and considering why they chose to considering why they chose to work with them.work with them.

Example of Video Art

PM Principle #7: GazingPM Principle #7: Gazing This term refers to This term refers to who the who the

art work is made for, who art work is made for, who makes the art work and makes the art work and how this all affects our how this all affects our understanding of realityunderstanding of reality

““In Betye Saar’s imagery In Betye Saar’s imagery right, the traditional right, the traditional meaning of the saccarine meaning of the saccarine (sweet) image is challenged (sweet) image is challenged when it is presented with an when it is presented with an even more stereotypical even more stereotypical depiction of a wide-eyed, depiction of a wide-eyed, red-lipped African-American red-lipped African-American woman holding a broom in woman holding a broom in one hand and a rifle in the one hand and a rifle in the other, juxtaposed with a other, juxtaposed with a life-sized Black Power life-sized Black Power clenched fist” –Broude & clenched fist” –Broude & GarrardGarrard

‘The Liberation of Aunt Jemima’ Saar, 1972

PM Principle #8: PM Principle #8: Representin’Representin’

Representin’ Representin’ describes the describes the strategy of locating one’s strategy of locating one’s artistic voice within one’s artistic voice within one’s own personal history and own personal history and culture of origin.culture of origin.

David Wojnarowicz David Wojnarowicz grounded his art in his grounded his art in his experiences as a young, gay experiences as a young, gay man in NY during the man in NY during the emerging AIDS crisis – As emerging AIDS crisis – As the title would suggest, his the title would suggest, his photo work makes reference photo work makes reference to the danger of the lack of to the danger of the lack of voice such a community was voice such a community was given – sharing information given – sharing information takes voice; knowledge= takes voice; knowledge= power and if this community power and if this community could not speak out they could not speak out they were essentially wiping were essentially wiping themselves outthemselves out

‘Silence=Death’ David Wojnarowicz, 1990