What is Postmodernism?What is Postmodernism?

It’s a It’s a late 20late 20thth century style and concept century style and concept in the art ,architecture and criticism , in the art ,architecture and criticism , which represents a departure from which represents a departure from modernism and is characterized by the modernism and is characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles and self-conscious use of earlier styles and conventionsconventions..It is the It is the rejection of totalizing theoriesrejection of totalizing theories and is defined by the and is defined by the death of meta-death of meta-narrativesnarratives, suspicion and rejection of , suspicion and rejection of master-narratives.master-narratives.

Historical BackgroundHistorical Background The term Postmodernism was first used around The term Postmodernism was first used around

the 1880s.the 1880s.Watkins ChapmanWatkins Chapman suggested as suggested as “a Post-“a Post-modern style of painting”.modern style of painting”.J.M ThompsonJ.M Thompson used it in 1914 to describe used it in 1914 to describe changes in changes in attitudes and beliefs in the critique attitudes and beliefs in the critique of religionof religion..H.R HaysH.R Hays in 1942 described in 1942 described it as a new literary it as a new literary form.form.

InfluenceInfluence:: The idea of Postmodernism began The idea of Postmodernism began

not only in literature but also in not only in literature but also in music, architecture, painting and music, architecture, painting and graphic designs etc.graphic designs etc.

Influential Postmodernist Influential Postmodernist Philosophers:Philosophers:

Martin Heidegger(1889-1976)Martin Heidegger(1889-1976)Jacques Derrida(1930-2004)Jacques Derrida(1930-2004)Michel Faucault(1926-1984)Michel Faucault(1926-1984)Jean –Francois Lyotard(1924-Jean –Francois Lyotard(1924-1998)1998)Richard Rorty(1931-2007)Richard Rorty(1931-2007)Jean Baudrillard(1929-2007)Jean Baudrillard(1929-2007)Fredric JamesonFredric JamesonDouglas KellnerDouglas Kellner

Key Concepts:Key Concepts: Some of the important key concepts of Postmodernism era Some of the important key concepts of Postmodernism era

areare::Inter-textualityInter-textualityMeta-fictionMeta-fictionPastichePasticheIronyIronyFactionFactionHyperrealityHyperrealityparanoiaparanoiaPost-World war IIPost-World war IIFragmentation Fragmentation Late capitalismLate capitalismPlayfulnessPlayfulnessTemporal DistortionTemporal DistortionMagical RealismMagical Realism

Characteristics:Characteristics:

No unity, social and cultural pluralism.No unity, social and cultural pluralism.Multiple conflicting identities.Multiple conflicting identities.Sense of fragmentation.Sense of fragmentation.Anti-technology reaction.Anti-technology reaction.Subverted order.Subverted order.Loss of centralized control.Loss of centralized control.Death of emotions, convictions, idealism, Death of emotions, convictions, idealism, critic, discipline, death of everythingcritic, discipline, death of everythingHyper-reality is here.Hyper-reality is here.

Some important concepts of Some important concepts of Postmodernists:Postmodernists:

“ “Hyper-reality” (Hyper-reality” (BaudrillardBaudrillard).).“Death of grand narrative” “Death of grand narrative” ((LyotardLyotard).).“Leaning of affect”, “Culture of late “Leaning of affect”, “Culture of late capitalism” capitalism” (Fredric Jmeson(Fredric Jmeson).).“Free Self” , “Schizoanalysis” “Free Self” , “Schizoanalysis” “Productive Difference” (“Productive Difference” (GillesGilles DeleuzeDeleuze).).“Deconstruction” (“Deconstruction” (DerridaDerrida))“Death of God” (Nietzsche)“Death of God” (Nietzsche)

Postmodern FictionPostmodern Fiction

1-1- Narrative fragmentationNarrative fragmentation and and narrative reflexivity.narrative reflexivity.2-2- An An open-ended playopen-ended play with formal with formal devices and narrative artifice.devices and narrative artifice.3-3- The The displacement of realdisplacement of real by by simulacra.simulacra.4-4- An An abolition of the cultureabolition of the culture divide divide between high and popular forms of between high and popular forms of culture, embracing all in a melange;culture, embracing all in a melange;

Postmodern PoetryPostmodern Poetry 1-A resistance to preconceived forms 1-A resistance to preconceived forms

dictating the arrangement of dictating the arrangement of language and ideas;language and ideas;2-A challenge to the 2-A challenge to the “Lyric “Lyric Subject”.Subject”.3-A suspicion of the 3-A suspicion of the “Poetics of “Poetics of presence”.presence”.4-Commitment to a 4-Commitment to a “Politics of “Politics of referent”.referent”.

Postmodern ArchitecturePostmodern Architecture 11-A celebration of spectacle.-A celebration of spectacle.

22-Radicle eclecticism.-Radicle eclecticism.33-Random historicism.-Random historicism.44-Irrational space.-Irrational space.55-Parodic metaphor.-Parodic metaphor.

ImagesImages

Postmodern Visual artPostmodern Visual art 1-1-Unconstrained use of colour and Unconstrained use of colour and

shapes.shapes.22-It involves a return of the -It involves a return of the vernacular.vernacular.33-It displays the ego unrestrainedly -It displays the ego unrestrainedly and demonstratively.and demonstratively.44-It implies several styles rather than -It implies several styles rather than single strand of development like single strand of development like modernism.modernism.

Images of Postmodern artImages of Postmodern art

ImagesImages

Postmodern MusicPostmodern Music

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