The Concept of Postmodernism - 5129 Words

CHAPTER 1 The concept of ‘Postmodernism’- A Theoretical Approach It is a clichà © by now to say that we live in a postmodern world, and it is true that the word ’postmodern’ has become one of the most used, and abused, words in the language. Still, it is striking that not many people can say with assurance what this term actually means and involves. Some theorists suggest that ‘postmodernism’ refers to a mood or an attitude of mind, others define it as a literary, cultural, or philosophic phenomenon. Either way, critics haven’t agreed on a common definition for the concept. â€Å"Brian McHale points out that every critic â€Å"constructs† postmodernism in his or her own way from different perspectives, none more right or wrong†¦show more content†¦Since the work is preoccupied with the postmodern valences of contemporary dance, we shall move on to the next layers of the discourse, concentrating on theoretical points of view which will serve as a fundamental base for our analysis of contemporary d ance. 1. 1. Postmodern Aspects of Contemporary Dance When trying to subsume the postmodern features of contemporary dance, Linda Hutcheon quotes Sally Banes: â€Å"(†¦) in order to include, for instance, the sorts of things which (under the influence, perhaps, of performance art) are considered postmodern in dance: â€Å"irony, playfulness, historical reference, the use of vernacular materials, the continuity of cultures, an interest in process over product, breakdowns of boundaries between art forms and between art and life, and new relationships between artist and audience† (Banes 1985: 82).[x] In addition to these aspects we could also enumerate other characteristics of contemporary postmodern dance such as: identity politics, recontextualization, fragmentation, use of technology in performance, nostalgia. Since the dance discourse came to resemble in many ways the fictional or narrative one, we consider that terms such as parody, pastiche, intertextuality, are not only appropriate, but also relevant for such a discussion. 1. 1. 1. Parodic and Ironic Discourse The concepts of parody and irony are given special attention by Linda Hutcheon in The Politics of Postmodernism. She statesShow MoreRelatedThe Concept of Postmodernism5138 Words   |  21 PagesCHAPTER 1 The concept of ‘Postmodernism’- A Theoretical Approach It is a clichà © by now to say that we live in a postmodern world, and it is true that the word ’postmodern’ has become one of the most used, and abused, words in the language. Still, it is striking that not many people can say with assurance what this term actually means and involves. Some theorists suggest that ‘postmodernism’ refers to a mood or an attitude of mind, others define it as a literary, culturalRead MoreKurt Vonnegut : The Concept Of Postmodernism1598 Words   |  7 Pagesincredulity toward metanarratives.† Through his statement, he endeavored to associate a theory to the shifting concept of postmodernism; to synopsize different events, experiences, and phenomena in history through a universal appeal to truth. While his supposition, through equation with the poems of Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Olsen, or John Cage - does indeed seem to hold validity; to define postmodernism remains difficult. To define this era would be to violate the premi se of the postmodernist that no absoluteRead MoreEssay on Why Postmodernism Failed to End History1542 Words   |  7 Pages‘Why did postmodernism threaten to end History, and why did fail?’ This question poses two clear questions, why postmodernism threatened the end of history, and why it failed to do so. 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Although the ‘rules’ of design were broken in postmodern practice (Poyner 2013 p.13), itRead MorePostmodern Concepts Influence on Museology934 Words   |  4 PagesPostmodern concepts have influenced curation and exhibitions, under the effect of museum classifications which determine the audiences’ perspectives on exhibitions. Postmodernism is highly influ ential and appealing because it is avant-garde (challenging past traditions). People appreciate new concepts, especially those that challenge the concept of art. The process of curation not only considers the organisation of the exhibition but is highly influenced by conceptual frameworks, postmodernism being partRead MoreRelationship between Postmodernism and Post colonialism1048 Words   |  5 PagesPostmodernism has been described as a new version of Western cultural imperialism. Discuss the relationship between postmodernism and postcolonialism. Postmodern theory been applauded as liberating, even democratising, in its rejection of absolutism and in its refusal to accept the dictates of hierarchy and certainty. It calls for the abandonment of the modernist qualities of objective truth, centralized knowledge, totalising explanations and determinacy . Rather, postmodern theory advocatesRead MorePostmodernism : Modernism And Postmodernism1549 Words   |  7 PagesModernism and Postmodernism To begin with, to determine the meaning of postmodernism is possible only through the relationship with modernism. Modernism in modern science is understood as a kind of cultural consciousness, which is implemented in the artistic practice of symbolism, expressionism and acmeism. In the socio-historical context, it means the period of modernism in the development of culture from the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century, that is, from Impressionism to a new novel andRead MoreEssay on Midnight in Paris1672 Words   |  7 Pagesfilm engaging and witty, but it also manages to provide both, overt and covert examples of postmodernism in film. By analyzing Woody Allen’s 2011film Midnight in Paris, we can identify the presence of many underlying motifs in both the narrative and the characterization of the film when using some of Frederic Jameson and Jean Baudrillard’s concepts on postmodernism. One of the main concepts that postmodernism relies on is bricolage, which is reflected in Midnight in Paris through the usage and mixturesRead MoreAssessment of the Contribution of Postmodernism to Our Understanding of Society1025 Words   |  5 PagesAssessment of the Contribution of Postmodernism to Our Understanding of Society The idea of the modern began as a way of describing the ideas and behaviour that emerged during, and contributed to, the decline of medieval society in Europe. There were three main elements in modernity: 1. Economic: This involved the growth of the capitalist market economy, the production of goods for profit and the emergence of wage labour. 2. Political: The emergence of theRead MorePostmodernism : Modernism And Postmodernism1472 Words   |  6 PagesModernism and Postmodernism are both two important eras in design. Postmodernism takes a lot of concepts from the modernism era. Both modernism and post modernism focus on Style, Social analysis, Cultural Context, Philosophy, Politics, Human experience, Machine aesthetics, and the constant transformation of the â€Å"New†. An interesting fact of the Modernism and Postmodernism is the use of the psychology and philosophy themes 1. Subjectivity 2.History 3. Culture and 4. Theoretically divers aesthetics