Adam Holly

Post 3

Modernism v Post-Modernism

During the 19^th and 20^th century, Modernism is concluded to be a form of art that can be defined as a change within an art industry among with many other things. A variety of different famous artists began to augment and enrichen a variety of ways that have expressed their own artwork using different constituents and concepts. Modernism was expressed in an abstractive way of sophisticated philosophy which has led artists to characterize themselves more spontaneously and distinctively .As mentioned in class many female artists used their bodies as a form of expression, they moved from the background to being the main focus of the artwork, especially the fact that the time was continuing to move forward and women were being recognized more. Women refused to hide in darkness of men any longer.

Modernism entailed the establishment of many other "ism", “In Western art, movements and "isms" appeared, one after another: impressionism, post impressionism, fauvism, cubism, futurism, constructivism, dada-ism, surrealism, abstract expressionism, etc” (Guerrilla Girls 59). All these "ism" specifically classifies all the different ways of expression in modern art. It gives you a vivid, more in-depth understanding of the artwork in that specific category. The art of Modernism, in most critical use, to be the art of what Harold Rosenburg had mentioned “the tradition of the new”. Modernism as well among the factors that have shaped it, modernism also included activities and creations of not only art, but also architecture, literature, religious faith, philosophy, and other activities of daily life and things as such as science as well.

Hannah Hoch was considered the "Mama of Dada", according to the Guerilla Girls Dadaism was "…an art movement that challenged every convection (except male supremacy) and scandalized bourgeois society."(Guerilla Girls 66). Hannah Hoch is best known for her work of the Weimar period, when she was one of the originators of photomontage. Photomontage, or fotomontage, is a type of collage in which the pasted items are actual photographs, or photographic reproductions pulled from the press and other widely produced media according to the google definition. Below is an example of Hannah Hoch’s work. Prior to me showing her work a little background too, Hannah Hooch’s boyfriend at the time, Raoul Hausmann just wanted her to be a supporter and a wife that only stays home cooks his meals and makes his sandwiches as opposed to express herself and her artwork. Hannah Hoch quickly got rid of the negative energy and began to fully give concentration on herself and her artwork with a new girlfriend.

Hannah Höch, Strauss, 1929-1965 Collage on paper Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg. On loan from a private collection © 2008 ProLitteris, Zürich. © Photo: Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg

Another one of the most famous female artists is Georgia O'Keeffe, an American painter who created innovative impressionist imagery that disputed and created different perspectives and focused on evolving constantly throughout her professional career. Many of her interesting paintings understood and deciphered to be female genitalia but she never admitted or acknowledged to any of the interpretings. Georgia O'Keeffe had wanted her art to have its own influence and expression. Georgia O'Keeffe was not only one of the best artists, but she was also known to be considered the most influential Modern American artist. Her abstract expressions of art that had relations or concepts to the female body was captivating, her work shows the uniqueness within her. The concepts entailed so many details that captivate the viewer and has the attention of the brain overseeing everything. Georgia O'Keeffe would even be considered the artist that gave modernism its event or a feeling she has felt, it was all authentic. As in class we have mentioned the two differences. Modern vs Post Modernism. Modernism is the key to show different perspectives but also focused on things such as: Innovation (being the first), The universal and the essential, High vs. Low art, intellectual pursuit, and optimism to the painting.

As you can see the picture above is very beautiful. All the lines are smooth, the curves are soft and delicate, the colors go so well together, and the composition is very delicate and intertwining within everything goes together. Georgia O'Keeffe loved the forms of shapes of nature, many of the forms that she has painted are simplified as well as you can see. Lines in her paintings and drawings are curvy and sinuous, like a winding river.

Art has many different forms of expression, especially when it focuses on abstract expression, a diverse, stylish way of art expression as depicted from Chadwick and has stated this:  "The consolidation of Abstract Expressionism as the dominant practice in American modern art pushed to the margins not only women moving toward artistic maturity in other 'modern' styles during the 1940s but also many women professionally active in what would come to be seen as 'conservative' and 'outmoded' figurative styles."(Chadwick 319).

Focusing on postmodernism art, the artists ranged from famous Joseph Havel, Samuel Bak, Martin Slidel, Lucas Blanco, and many more developed after world war two. After WWII had made an impact globally, United States and the other Allies were celebrating. Europe and other parts were completely left destructed by the Germans, but overall United States celebrated. WWII indicated the foundation of technological advancement focused in industrial innovations and this expansion also made impact in the art industry. As in class we have gone over that Postmodernism was development in opposition of modernism. It was to overthrow modernism, it was known as pluralism (many perspectives simultaneously, it showed diversity and contradiction, and all of the art forms are equally valid. Postmodernism was playful, ironic, experimental, and much more. As for Modernism was believed to be focused more on unrealistic abstract ideas while postmodernism is about the reality, the actual experiences of those expressing their artwork. Even though postmodernism and modernism consist of some similar ideas they are still considered to be opposite forms of art.