Modernism/Postmodernism
Modernism in art refers to an acceptance and expression of the new values and innovations different from those of the early 19th century. Artists threw away traditional art techniques from the past and became experimental in the ways they delivered their art and thought about it. Modernism was a combination of different art, “In Western art, movements and the “isms” appeared, one after another: impressionism, post impressionism, favism, cubism, futurism, constructivism, dadaism, surrealism, expressionism, etc. Put them all together what do we get? Modernism (Guerilla Girls 59).” Modernism started transforming art into a more secular direction and it included the rise of more rational thinking. Modernism was a series of cultural movements that promoted universal discovery and ultimately tried to make society more egalitarian.
Modernism marked a time of beautiful and elaborate fashion that helped female designers encase the modernist mindset of the new woman. The new fashion started to include intricate colors and bright patterns. Clothes were no longer restrictive to the body like a corset used to be and was now more functional, yet stylish for the human woman (they could actually breath now). “Fashion designs that resulted from geometric abstraction, when worn, come to signify modernity and, at the same time to obscure very kinds of social change that would ultimately erode the ideal of the individual artistic freedom so prized by modern artist (Chadwick 252).” Women were starting to embrace their sexuality and independence with the way that they dressed. Also during the time of Modernism the world started to become more industrialized. Women started working and becoming consumers, now having products merchandised for women. Although men were still considered head of the household, women started to contribute to the family’s money.
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| Coco Chanel by Man Ray 1935 |
During the 20th century women started to become more independent and seen less as incapable. Women finally started to have a voice and started to stand up for their rights. In the 19th century artist, mostly men, would overly objectify and sexualize women in their artwork. Women were there for the pleasure and the use of other men. Women were usually constricted to the social norms of how women should act and were constricted to the roles they had to play for their families. Modernist women artist started to paint women differently in a way that pointed out their human qualities. Where women used to be nude in artwork seen as sexual puppets, now they were nude as a stance of empowerment. Women were not seen as seductive anymore, but agents of change that were taking the initiative toward equality. Two women artists that were paving the way for gender equality were Paula Modersohn- Becker and Suzanne Valadon. “Their paintings collude with, and challenge, narratives that construct female identity, through connections to nature and that view women as controlled by emotions, sexual instincts and biology (Chadwick 282).” They saw women as more than the artist from the 19th century were seeing them as. For example, Suzanne Valadon created art with women in their everyday lives in ways that were not sexualizing them at all, but rather empowering them. For example Valadon painted a women getting into a bathtub, showing that a nude women in a painting is not always meant for the pleasure of men. Another powerful painting is “The Blue Room,” in which a curvy women is laying down on her bed just smoking a cigarette and feeling comfortable. The bodies of the women that she paints do not fit a standard of what women should look like. Valadon’s paintings are powerful because she embraces every part of the women. Women were extremely impactful in influencing the movements that made up modernism because they were in the forefront of change. Modernism brought up new ways of thinking, dressing, and expressing one’s self, and these women artist were not shy to participate and spread these new ideas.
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| The Blue Room by Suzanne Valadon 1923 |
Postmodernism was basically a critique of modernism. Postmodernism wants to break down any social constructs that society has built up and followed. Postmodernists believed that there was no real truth because people would ultimately add to the truth based on their beliefs and cultures. Postmodernism allowed people to challenge the norm. Postmodernism started to flourish after World War 2 because people started to question everything including politicians and wars. Women artists were instrumental in the development of the main themes of postmodernism by not following traditional ways of art making and using media to mass produce art.
One famous postmodernist is Sherrie Levine. Levine is know for copying the artworks of modernist artist. For example she will remake photos of artists before her but will make them slightly different. In case of “After Walker Evans” by Levine, she copies the previous artist but leaves the audience thinking about how the artwork was made and how it was previously approached in the lense of a male artist. Another important artist of postmodernism is Cindy Sherman. “Cindy Sherman’s photographs reveal the instability of gender, and challenge the idea that there might be an innate, unmediated female sexuality (Chadwick 383).” Sherman helps the audience understand that women are more than what men want them to be.
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| After Walker Evans by Sherrie Levine 1936 |
Although modernism and postmodernism were different, modernism helped pave the way for postmodernism views. Modernist believed in reason and science while postmodernist believe that science was just a way to explain things. Modernist believed that language was direct and correct while postmodernist believe that language is based on personal opinion. Modernist believed that women being oppressed by men was just the way it was and had to use reason to overcome it while postmodernist believed that society themselves made themselves oppressed. Postmodernist started to embrace more the art of photography and other art forms to help deliver their messages.
Works Cited
Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society. 5th ed., 1992.
Guerilla Girls. The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art. Penguin, 1998.
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