Post-Modernism, Ai Weiwei and Banksy

1. Define Post-Modernism using 8-10 bullet points that include short quotes.

-A mixture of styles brought upon by modernism. "Instead of the reductive, minimalist style of Modernism, Postmodernism architecture is noticeable by its mixture of styles."(p.13 ALVC)

-A idea with bigger focus on decoration and variety. "it is possible to say that the ideology of Modernism was one of anonymity, of what was perceived as 'stylelessness'. The ideology of postmodern design is one of decoration and variety." (p.13 ALVC)

-New ways of thinking about art and culture. "ways of thinking that questioned long-established patterns and hierarchies.

- Expanding upon the range of contemporary arts "art practice was turned upside down by a new eclecticism which celebrated artistic and cultural diversity in contemporary art."

-Rejection of old ideology and a focus on new ones. "Postmodernism rejects the modernist ideals of rationality, virility, artistic genius, and individualism, in favor of being anti-capitalist, contemptuous of traditional morality, and committed to radical egalitarianism."

-a belief that what came before it realted to opressive ideaology."Post Modernism is an anti-Enlightenment position wherein adherents believe that what has gone before, as "Modernism", is inappropriately dependent on Reason, Rationalism, and Wisdom, and is, furthermore, inherently elitist, non-multicultural and therefore oppressive."

-A period of time after the 1980's to now that marked the end of modernism. "If Modernism is at an end, we are now facing a new period. The name given to this period is Postmodernism." (p.18 ALVC)

-A view that is seen to be Anti-Modern. "The seemingly anti-modern stance involves a basic rejection of the tenets of modernism; that is to say, a rejection of the doctrine of the supremacy of reason, the notion of truth, the belief in the perfectibility of man, and the idea that we could create a better if not perfect, society." (p.18 ALVC)

2. Use a quote by Witcombe (2000) to define the Post-Modern artist

"Whereas Modernism seeks closure in the form and is concerned with conclusions, Postmodernism is open, unbounded, and concerned with process and "becoming.""

3. Use the grid on pages 42 and 43 to summarize the list of the features of Post-
Modernity.

Postmodernism took what modernity taught us and rejected it in a way that brought upon new thinking  and ideology. People were able to be more open about what they do and explore new nontraditional ways of doing things. social diversity was unclear and cultures adapted to many forms of media. A mixture of cultures arose and hyper-reality became more powerful than the real reality. Art could be seen as almost anything.

5. Research Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's 'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994)
in order to say what features of the work are Post-Modern.

'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994), Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei dropping a Han Dynast Urn.

Weiwei's Coca-cola urn is a drastic change of an old historical urn into something new and exciting.
It breaks the boundaries of modernism by defiling a historical artifact with the well known Coca-cola symbol. By doing this he has merged together the western culture with that of ancient china. He has recycled cultural art with aspects of visual media that we can all relate to. The pop culture he has brought to this piece is what makes this work a part of post modernism.

6. Research British artist Banksy's street art, and analyze the following two works by the artist
to discuss how each work can be defined at Post-Modern.

'Flower Riot', Banksy

Flower Riot by Banksy first strikes us as being unusual and out of the ordinary. We see here a determined male rioter about to throw his weapon into enemy territory. Except his choice of weapon is what has made this image so post modern. We all know how riots work, maybe from experience but mostly through the eyes of the media. Banksy is challenging this idea by allowing the male figure to be throwing something normally never thrown, and with such force too. Is he going to bring harm or joy to his target? This image can be defined as post-modern because of how it questions this idea of power.

Los Angeles (2008), Banksy

Humans being the descendants of ape, or so some believe, is what we first see in this piece by Banksy. But wait, what is he holding? Thats right, fast food. Here we see a grown caveman-like male figure with what looks to be a fast food meal in his right hand, and a bone in his left. This piece is directly addressing the fact of human growth and how far we as a species have evolved over time. However by putting this growth into the hands of an aged caveman is how Banksy portrays the question of how far we have actually come. This unorthodox combination is why this work can be defined as post-modern.


 http://digital1.natlib.govt.nz/support/discover/va2essay.htm

http://www.naciente.com/essay15.htm

http://www.arthurimiller.com/journalism/the-worlds-of-ai-weiwei/

http://www.artzinechina.com/display_vol_aid109_en.html

http://dailyserving.com/2010/07/ai-weiwei-dropping-the-urn/

http://arnica.csustan.edu/carosella/banksystreetart/street_art_by_banksy.htm


http://virtualvisualmuseum.blogspot.com/2011/05/fast-food-caveman-by-david-dauteuil.html

Nathalie Djurberg's 'Claymations'.

1. What do you understand by the word 'claymation'?

Claymation is a type of film animation in which the artist constructs scenes/figures out of clay and uses a stop-motion technique to bring their works to life. Stop-motion is much like a flip-book animation where you have many different still frames with small differences between them, allowing movement to happen.

2. What is meant by the term 'surrealistic Garden of Eden'? and 'all that is natural goes awry'?

When i hear the phrase 'Garden of Eden' i think of a place that has reached absolute perfection. A place where nothing could go wrong, however when the garden has been portrayed with a 'surrealistic' point of view there is no telling what it could entail. This out of wack Garden of Eden is exactly what Djurberg has created and everything in it has become strange. With monstrous flowers towering over people and the lack of natural light in the atmosphere it is said to be a very nauseating experience. I think the sentences 'surrealistic garden of eden' and 'all natural goes awry' simply mean that this perfect garden of eden is now a place where anything could happen, and where everything you thought was natural, is now strange.

3. What are the 'complexity of emotions' that Djurberg confronts us with?

After watching one of her videos it is clear that there is indeed a vast amount of emotions being thrown at us all in a very short period of time. The scarceness of the dark and gloomy environment, the horror and disgust of what is happening to the clay actors, the anxiety and confusion of not knowing what is going to happen next. We are confronted with different types of the same emotion while also being immense amounts of sexual discomfort.

4. How does Djurberg play with the ideas of children's stories, and innocence in some of her work?

To me these 'ideas' of children's stories do not exist much, maybe it is because of how un-innocent the videos really are. However i admit that all the videos do resemble child-like television programs that would be played for kids under the age of 10. This is purely because of the vivid coloured, cartoonish style of claymation she has used which is also seen on television a lot in today's world.

5. There is a current fascination by some designers with turning the innocent and sweet into something disturbing. Why do you think this has come about?

I think artists these days have more options in the sense that they choose what they want to portray in their work rather than it being commissioned. A lot of the modern art that is surfacing today is more of just the artists trying to express themselves and their views to the world. I personally think one of the reasons for this change could be the constant strain we as humans are putting on the earth we live on. Sure we may live in a more civilized time but little by little we make the world become more disturbing due to all the industrial factories as opposed to it becoming more Eco friendly. 

6. In your opinion, why do you think Djurberg's work is so interesting that it was chosen for the Venice Biennale?

I think the reasons it was chosen are based around the intense amount of emotions and radical feelings we get as soon as we start watching one of Djurbeg's animations. An exhibition like this is highly unique and not seen very often. Also having the clay works around you while you are watching, making you feel like you are part of the atmosphere is all the more exiting.

7. Add some of your own personal comments on her work.

Djurbeg's work strikes me at first as something that came from the minds of people in some sort of mental asylum. It is only after looking past all the disgusting sexual displacement that I can fully understand many of the emotions that she is trying to portray. All in all it is not something i would normally want to view but, despite all its horribleness, i would still congratulate her for creating such masterpieces.

 References

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/6886/nathalie-djurberg

http://we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2009/10/nathalie-djurberg-who-won-the.php

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/6886/nathalie-djurberg-experiment-at-venice-art-biennale-09.html

http://www.labiennale.org/en/Home.html

 http://www.rolloart.com/nathalie_djurberg/about