Modernism & Postmodernism

(Research of Modernism and Postmodernism taken from My essay)

"Modernism is more a way of thinking than a style. Modernists believed that the design of an object should be based purely on its purpose - that 'form follows function." ⁽¹⁾ This basically means that this movement believes that the design should be based specifically on the intended function and purpose. Influence of this movement began after the Word war 1 where the change was visible. The modernists were embracing concrete, glass and steel within their design development to extinguish the difference between the new and the old, rejecting styles of the other art movements e.g. the Victorian and Nouveau art movements. Jonathan Glancey (Architecture Editor of the Guardian) summarised that "Modernism was not simply a style: but more of an attitude, a determination to break with the past and free the architect from the stifling rules of convention and etiquette." ⁽²⁾

However although Postmodernism rooted from Modernism in the 20th century it contradicts the modernism movement, it's known to be the most controversial movement in the design history. Postmodernism created its own unique style "It brought a radical freedom to art and design through gestures that were often funny, sometimes confrontational and occasionally absurd." ⁽³⁾ It broke many religious and social boundaries going against the idea of what was seen as normal creating a form of free will into the design industry. "Postmodernism went into high gear. What had begun as a radical fringe movement became the dominant look of the ‘designer decade’. Vivid colour, theatricality and exaggeration: everything was a style statement. Whether surfaces were glossy, faked or deliberately distressed, they reflected the desire to combine subversive statements with commercial appeal." ⁽⁴⁾ Stating that Postmodernism was spreading vastly and escalated over time giving society a newer more modern look than it already was, focusing on being extremely different to what was seen as normal .  Postmodernists dismiss the idea of "natural reality, a reality whose existence and properties are logically independent of human beings—of their minds, their societies, their social practices, or their investigative techniques." ⁽⁵⁾ They view this as a form of naive realism, they perceive reality as a "conceptual construct, an artifact of scientific practice and language." ⁽⁶⁾ Postmodernists also reject the idea of a objective natural reality which descend from scientists and historians, they contradict their statements and believe that there is no such thing as the truth. This art movement can be seen as a form of destruction of the natural reality e.g. earth's natural landscape, portraying itself as a deceptive illusion as it misleads the impression of reality.

Modernism and postmodernism in one perception is seen as movements that deconstruct, neglect and contradict the idea of realism." Modernism is associated with attempts to render human subjectivity in ways more real than realism: to represent consciousness, tunnelling, defamiliarisation, rhythm, irresolution". ⁽⁷⁾ It forms its own 'new' ideas on Literature, architecture, art and society breaking the old forms of realism.

Modernism and Postmodernism both can be seen as a form of destruction of reality itself.  Both ideas are challenging not only within architecture but in arts, literature and religion. They break boundaries and challenge existing beliefs and norms "Modernist novels destroy conventions by reversing traditional norms, such as gender and racial roles, notable in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," for example. They also destroy conventional forms of language by deliberately breaking rules of syntax and structure." ⁽¹³⁾ Modernists are against of  what was seen as reality and try to " 'make it new', to modify if not overturn existing modes of representation" ⁽¹⁴⁾ they do this to basically form a new convention breaking the original boundaries and rules set deconstructing the original reality of literature. In addition to the deconstruction of the reality of literature "Modernism is associated with moves to break from the iambic pentameter as the basic unit of verse, to introduce vers libre, symbolism and other new forms of writing". ⁽¹⁵⁾ To create a new form it is vital that the old form has to be destroyed or deconstructed to some extent which the Modernists aimed for. They were trying to reconstruct the main functions to literature introducing different ways to form a innovative idea of normality, as their way of modifying and making literature a new form than it already was. This therefore deconstructs the reality of literature once again. 

Along with literature Religion was also challenged and deconstructed by Modernists as it is a constituted system which "threatened to destroy not only the Catholic religion but all religion: ‘Modernism leads to atheism and to the annihilation of all religion." ⁽¹⁶⁾ They attempted and also succeeded to some point in destructing the reality of religion and God, challenging the beliefs and creating their new form with the idea of no religion (Atheism). They challenged the reality of religion by stating that it doesn't even exist. In addition to this Modernism was successful in highly influencing and in some form contaminating the mind of the people in power as they were inspired by what modernism had to offer.  The people in power "under the influences of religion, conservative forces in national governments around the world have undermined and corrupted the ideals of modernism, transforming notions of freedom, equality, human rights, and democracy into self–serving excuses for invasion, subjugation, conversion, and exploitation". ⁽¹⁷⁾ This can be seen as a example of the message and it's effect Modernism sent out . As Modernism's ideals were used immorally by the political forces to challenge the realism of society. These effects are shown by the display of the selfish acts in challenging the rights of a man by taking control, abusing authority unethically gaining more power over country and its population. This therefore is a result of the deconstruction of reality in society; as members of the society are deprived of free will, forming new boundaries.

On the Other hand Modernism and Postmodernism movements have made a mark in history they made and still at this very point have made a immense impact on society, music, art, religion, Literature and architecture. This is reality as they both have made many transformations within the western community within the 19th and 20th Century. These transformations have formed new theories and ideas "new ways of looking at the world in art and design that have emerged from Modernism". ⁽¹⁸⁾ This creating new perspectives leading to the development of many industries. This is a advantage that can be drawn from these movements. That it lead to the developing the cityscape i.e. architecture (structure of buildings becoming more modernised)  to improve the aesthetic but also stability and accessibility of the city around us becoming more beneficial and more useful. It lead to the development of technology new artistic approaches "that there needs to be a clear understanding about the relationship between form and content,". ⁽¹⁹⁾ It gave a insight into meaning and relationships creating new methods of working and communication i.e. form follows function of how the building architecture design is solely based upon the function. These movements for that reason can be viewed as reality as they enhanced that within the passage of time styles and movements are revolutionised to become much more useful.