New | Graphic | Design

An exploration of Modernism and Postmodernism

Issue #1 April 2013

Form | Follows | Function

CONTENTS PAGE

Modernism and Postmodernism

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CONTENTS PAGE

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Welcome to the New Graphic Design

magazine where you can explore some of the most infuencial movements to happen to the art industry.

Page 3-4Book Review

Page 5-6Modernism

Page 7-8PostModernism

Page 9-10Bauhaus

Page 11-12Swiss Style

Page 13Back Cover

B O O K R E V I E W

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Introduction –The book that I have read is called “What is post modernism?” and Charles Jencks wrote it. The book was written in 1996 and it is split into 14 chapters and has 4 different sections; the logic of history, po st-modernism culture, post-modernism

society and the universe as measure.

Part one: The logic of history –The first section is all about the history of post-modernism and who they are. Post-modernism is now a worldwide movement in all the arts and disciplines. It is also talks about the logic of history that makes the use of the term virtually

inevitable today.

Part two: Post-modern culture –Part two focuses on post-modernism culture, more particularly architecture, art, philosophy and literature.

Part three: Post-modern society –Part three looks at shifts in in post-modernism society, including the decline of the nation state, the rise of a global civilization and a series of ‘posts’ – post-industrial society, post-Fordism, the post-national economy and post-socialism.

Part four: The universe as measure –In part four, I conclude with an idea that most other observers of the same situation reject: the post-modern period has not seen the end of all metanarratives, but rather their

proliferation.

Conclusion –“What is post modernism?” is in four different sections: ‘the logic of history’ which discussed modernity, ‘post – modern culture’ looking at architecture, art and literature, ‘post modern society’ looking at the cultural and economic sphere and ‘the universal as measure’ which considers the move from anthropocentrism to a move complex and chaotic faith in the universe – an new metanarrative.

Jenks defends post modernity throughout the book and asks, “Is it a positive movement, negative condition or just plain description”. Throughout the book I was constantly confused and was unsure to what was going on but I kept reading because I was interested and was learning a lot about modernism. I believe that the book was essential to my research as he is clear to distinguish between late modernism and post modernism. Overall, I found the book very intriguing and I would definitely recommend it to someone else as it contains a lot of solid information about modernism.

Andy Warhol - Marilyn Monroe

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Part four: The universe as measure –In part four, I conclude with an idea that most other observers of the same situation reject: the post-modern period has not seen the end of all metanarratives, but rather their

proliferation.

Conclusion –“What is post modernism?” is in four different sections: ‘the logic of history’ which discussed modernity, ‘post – modern culture’ looking at architecture, art and literature, ‘post modern society’ looking at the cultural and economic sphere and ‘the universal as measure’ which considers the move from anthropocentrism to a move complex and chaotic faith in the universe – an new metanarrative.

Jenks defends post modernity throughout the book and asks, “Is it a positive movement, negative condition or just plain description”. Throughout the book I was constantly confused and was unsure to what was going on but I kept reading because I was interested and was learning a lot about modernism. I believe that the book was essential to my research as he is clear to distinguish between late modernism and post modernism. Overall, I found the book very intriguing and I would definitely recommend it to someone else as it contains a lot of solid information about modernism.

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M O D E R N -I S MModernism-Modernism is associated with capitalism, it’s something that happened in the West and in Europe. It can be summed up with one of the philosophical terms “I think, therefore I am” and that phrase meant I would only believe what I can see and what I can prove.

Post Modernist believes that Modernism was partly based on science and truth. Science was suppose to make things better and prevent people from getting ill, instead it had the nuclear bomb and the bomb could have killed us all.

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Around the time of modernism you had changes in technology, discoveries within the world, mapping, organisation and everything was institutionalised. On that basis of a rational thought came an idea about how society worked. Modernism was a way of looking at the world because you could progress and rely on facts and prove things, modernism can also be seen as the belief progress through science, research and discovery.

Ray Gun Magazine - Modernism

P O S T M O D E -R N I S MPost Modernism-Post Modernism can be seen in many different ways, post modernism can be seen as the calapse of modernism as post modernism carries on with some of the same projects, except with less faith.Post modernism is more about choice now, our culture doesn’t say that you can create or can’t create certain paintings. Modern culture would have told you what to do or at least would have guided you in a specific direction because they had rules and certain ways of doing things, post modern culture lets you do almost anything you want.

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In the modern culture if you was to create something that was completely innapropriate you would have been rejected or maybe even stoned. In postmodern times you can create what you want and call it art and no one will be bothered.

There isn’t any progress in post modernism, everything is repeated such as fashion and music. I believe that postmodern art contains similar aspects to modern art except it isn’t consistant, alot of the art seems random and brighter coloured.

i-D Magazine - PostModernism

P O S T M O D E -R N I S M

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B A U H A -U SBauhaus Movement-“The Bauhaus” is a German word for “House of building” which was a school that was founded in 1919 in Weimar, Germany by an architect called Walter Gropius When the school was created its intentions was clear, they wanted to reform the education of art and manufacturing. The school offered theoretical and practical training in all of the fine arts such as murals, stained glass, typography, metalwork, book binding, stone sculpture and furniture making. They then learned how to combined all of these

skills with new technology that allowed them to design products that was both practical and aesthetical.I believe that the rise of the Bauhaus movement assisted all of the current artists with new ideas. The work that they was producing was clear and smooth, the ideas that people was coming up with was innovative and unique. The period between 1924 and 1928 was the most significant for Bauhaus because the school attracted teachers of the highest calibre.

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Bauhaus Movement

S W I S S S T-Y L ESwiss Style-Swiss Style, also referred to as the international style of graphic design that was created in Switzerland. It became famous through the talented graphic designers from Switzerland. However it didn’t emerge in Russia, Germany and Holland until the 1920’s. By the 1950’s this particular style of art, culture and architecture had become an international movement and was used by artists all around the world. Despite its worldwide recognition people still refer to it as the ‘Swiss Style’.

This new style of graphic design consisted of several different methods such as precision,

craft skills, education, technical training, a high standard of printing as well as a clear refined and inventive lettering and typography laid out laid out in this new, smart way to create the Swiss movement. Emerging from the modernist ideals, the Swiss style can be looked at as a new simple and stylish version.

After reading several different sources on the Internet and looking at the ‘Swiss Graphic Design’ book I think it is amazing how much of an impact the Swiss movement had on the graphic design industry. Typography was changing everywhere, even on train tickets, medicine labels and even on road signs.

Swiss Style

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S W I S S S T-Y L E

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New Graphic Design

Created byJames Luke Richards

Student at Huddersfield University

Studying Graphic DesignU1261281