Critical studies essay
Kevin Johnson BA Fine Art (integrated media) year 2 #20161899 Spring essay 2016 An essay on the relationship between Postmodernism and Modernism viewed through the works of artists groups working in both periods. Page 1 In this essay we will look at 4 works of art set in the mid and late periods of Post Modernism, we shall endeavour to gain an understanding of the artist views and beliefs that underpin their work and what they hoped to achieve. Through comparing these values with the earlier period of Modernism we will attempt to show what are the differences that separate the two. What do we mean by Post Modernism ? When discussing Post Modernism we refer to the post second world war period of the late 1950s to around the late 1990s. Old Europe struggled to haul itself out of bomb creators (both real and economic). America had emerged the victor and with its economy untouched and a massive production base, was in a prime place to help kick start a new economic boom, it began to manufacture automobiles, white goods and televisions, fast and cheap. This together with the new market economics meant the average American family, through means of fast credit, could afford to buy into the American dream. (Young, 2015) An emerging culture of television, radio, Hollywood and glossy colour printed magazines was being unleashed onto a general population which in turn opened up new means of advertising for the established traditional media: advertising became 'Art', the age of mass media was born. This new means of selling to the public was termed 'consumerism' and led to a new world of culture, one that while the general public was eagerly embracing, the art world in general was viewing with a suspicion, worried that the traditional views and standards would be lowered and more importantly, that the art world would lose control of art itself. The ever growing mass media would democratise art and open up real everyday life, bringing new problems and situations. However, not all the art world took such a negative few, in the UK the Independent Group with Lawrence Alloway and Richard Hamilton at the stern (Hamilton would be seen later as the father of British Pop Art and the forerunner to Warhol) explored the new ideas of concept and unconventionality which was soon taken up by the youth. This generation of baby boomers which were being brought up in an age of mass media driven art forms had less patience with authority and were more open to radical views, this awareness led to the rise of political movements, born on the streets and most with roots in the far left of the political spectrum. (Young, 2015) In the US by the end of the1950s the Black Civil rights protests had grown into a mass movement. Feminist issues had gained ground and Gay rights were being discussed openly in cities such as New York and San Francisco. The new contraceptive pill available for the first time in history meant women could choose when to fall pregnant, work or study. Europe saw students, workers and the middle classes find their voices and rise up in country after country. In the UK the C.N.D. and anti US involvement in Vietnam drew protests in West Germany students protested about the right wing dominated printed media. The Spanish called for freedom of the press and protested against Franco's Fascist regime. Italian students demanded reform of the education system and in Poland and Czechoslovakia the U.S.S.R. violently quashed demands for freedom of expression. (Young, 2015; Beelden Van Streven, 2005) One city struggling to come to terms with this new confluence of ideas was Paris, still a center of great intellect and culture, its education system was straining under the large numbers of middle and working class youths who wanted an opportunity to study. Involved in the growing student unrest were the 'International Situationista', a collective of semi anarchic Marxists with a belief in Dadaism and the surreal Avant Garde, they held the view that art should be brought into everyday life. in 1967 they published a critique of the newly emerging media. Entitled 'La Societe du Specticle' it spoke of a mass media society which had only just shown itself. (Young, 2015; Beeldon Van Streven,2005) This convergence of art students, Politics and the state began to come to a head in March of 1968, when students at the Nantes campus which was already seen as a hotbed of left wing activism protested against the increasingly authoritarian campus administration which had strict rules governing the mixing of the sexes. On March 22nd around 150 students began a sit in, which was brutality extinguished, word quickly got around and other students began to stage strikes. Over the coming weeks this escalated until by the 6th of May students across France had set up a national day of protest and the students were joined by their teachers and the first factory workers who had started to strike. On May 13th over a million people marched in the streets of Paris and students from the Ecoledes Beaux Arts (the school of fine art) met with other groups such as the instrumental 'Le Joune Peinture' (the young painters), after forming a committee they decided to occupy the print and lithography workshop .The next day they produced the first poster 'Usines, Universites, Union' (Factories, Universities, Union, see Fig.1). The Atelier Populaire (the popular workshop) had begun working. This first piece is in the new media style. In it we see that the 3 U's are of a unified nature whilst each word is indicated by a different type set with the 'universites' set in a childlike scrawl. This simplistic design was typical of the media and infant pop art movement which was already known to several members of the A.P. including one of its founding members 'Gilles Ailtaud' who, in December 1968 asked 'must one concede that in order to play even the smallest role in ideological struggle art must reduce itself to the smallest of forms ?" (A.P., 2011; Liam Considine, 2015) The means and process led method in which the A.P. produced work, screen printing rather than lithography, meant they could produce large runs of posters quickly, which initially consisted of text based images as photographs were seen as being to impersonal (although towards the end found images were included in the art).This work like environment and methodology was instrumental in the Atelier Populaire's belief that art and its institutions were run by the elite and the values and traditions of timeless art were outdated. Above the door to the workshop hung two posters one headlined 'Atelier Populaire Oui' the other reading 'Atelier Bourgeois Non'. They believed the value of art was best served when it was egalitarian with a purposeful agenda, the implication being that if art is to be relevant than art has to deal with the issues at hand. The Central manifesto of the Atelier Populaire ideal was printed on May 21st and stated amongst other ideals: "We are against the established order of today...Bourgeois art and bourgeois culture. It is the means by which the forces of oppression of the ruling class isolate and set apart the artists...giving them a privileged status. Privilege locks the artist in an invisible prison. the fundamental concepts...are :- the idea that art has 'gained its autonomy'...the defence of 'creative freedom': culture makes the artist live in the illusion of freedom...that is why when we write Atelier Populaire it cannot be a question of improvement, but of a radical change of direction." (The context of Mid-postmodernism: 'Atelier Populaire Oui, Atelier Bourgeois Non', 1968, in Posters from the revolution, 1969) This meant that no one person would have influence over the group, it would be for the benefit of all, anonymous and decisions to include which work would be made in general assemblies, this helped soften political divisions and the unsigned work made it harder for the police to trace artists. Also it reflected the growing relationship between the students and the workers, there was a momentary suspension of identities and of social class. (Young, 2015; A.P., 2011, Liam Considine, 2015) In 'La Beaute est dans la rue' (Beauty is in the street, see Fig.2) we observe the image of a young lady, possibly a student, throwing a brick towards us (are we perhaps the oppressor ?) this act of violence which is full of intent is being fought by a women, an equal. The singular red (the traditional colour of the left or of anarchy) screams at us to get involved, for action. We can understand that there is a lot being said in this simple image, this was an ongoing theme in the work of the A.P as the artists had to produce work that would shock the viewer and grab their attention. As the years rolled into the coming decades, advancements: technological, social, economic and so forth began impacting on our lives. In the far east the miniaturisation of technology was adding another level to humanities social crane. In the west television, already morphing into a video age had began its golden years, the print media tightened its control of governments. Technology and its suitability to connect us was speeding up our socio-cultural advancements, this led to social and political unrest which, like the cities, grew ever larger. Protests movements had multiplied and grown from personnel concerns to planet wide ecological causes, subversive counter culture denied the mainstream and her twin sisters of late capitalism and consumerism. This finance orientated view of society, was partly created by the increasingly powerful media and partly created by us, the consenting consumer. (young, 2016) In 1965 in the U.S. city of Minneapolis the Walker art gallery held an exhibition of young British artists, entitled 'London, the new scene' it showcased the creative centre of culture that was London in the swinging 60s. Exhibited were a selection of artists, both figurative and non figurative highlighting recent British art 'situation abstraction, Royal college pop and op art'. This portrayed to the U.S. public a hip, anti establishment urban scene. Almost 30 years later the Walker's 1995 exhibition 'Brilliant ! new art from London' would yet again unleash a newer edgier breed of young artists, many of whom would go on to be known, once again, as the 'Young British artists'. This group would challenge the belief and values of modernism and replace them with a new set of ideals, with new theory, while still keeping or even reverting back to some of the more traditional ways.(Sensation, 1997). In the first decades of the 20th century Clive Bells 1914 seminal essay regarding the significant form and its idea that form- a line or colour, can be expressive or combine in certain ways that please our aesthetic ideals or emotions had helped codify a set of rules and ideas that satisfied the needs of the times. This mindset lasted for two or three generations, however in the last couple of decades before the coming millennium the grandchildren of Bells generation no longer held these beliefs. The late post modernist period didn't so much as question the rules as abandon the need for them. While modernism by was in general associated with idealistic visions of human life driven by various socio/political agenda, late post modernism was to be about attacking culture itself. continuing the earlier work of such groups and artists as the Atelier Populaire it continued to weaponise art, art that could now be whatever the artists said it was (for who are we to judge?). The artist wouldn't have to be concerned with being committed to certain values or any single discipline, art could have a plurality. Post modernism could rip open the notion of the artist having authorship, through the myriad of new technology and media artists could re-appropriate old work and re-situate it. This shift in values that inspired the viewer to ask questions about context rather than content was also a philosophical point of view that while supporting an aesthetic value was also trying to comes to terms with the late capitalist cultural condition of modernity. This has led to a situation where a post modern attitude of suspicion which sometimes verges on paranoia has surfaced in the media and then been eagerly consumed by a willing public.(Young, 2015; Butler, 2002) This feeling of mistrust from the viewer was compounded by a lack of knowledge, while later post modernists were chiefly concerned with the process of understanding than with the pleasure of artistic finish or unity the general public not understanding the theory heavy post modernist philosophy, failed to gain a familiarity of the subject and old barriers were reinforced. This separation of the hand (artist) and the eye (viewer) was none more so seen when, in London, the Royal Academy of Arts held the 1997 'Sensation' exhibition. Curated by the business savvy artist Damien Hirst it showcased the brightest talent of a generation, featuring some of the same artists from the walker galleries 1995 show. (Young, 2016; Sensation, 1997) Two of these artists, Damien Hirst and Marcus Harvey, are both examples of the late postmodern need to shock or confront culture. In Fig 3 Harvey (himself a late addition to the show) chose to display a giant police mug shot of one of the 20th century's most notorious child killers. This representation when viewed from a distance is akin to a dot printed newspaper image or pixilated screen, its only when the viewer gets up close they realise the image is in fact made up of the hand prints of young children. This piece doesn't softly explore the viewers emotions instead it violently shocks the viewer into a confrontation. 'Myra' raised questions about the right of the media in its ability to direct its indignation where it chose while at the same time selling copies or gaining viewers, this was highlighted when a media led public outcry began in retaliation to the Royal Academies decision to put on the show. The opening day saw protests, with bricks thrown mistakenly at the windows of next doors Royal Geographic institute, eggs and ink thrown directly at the painting, even the Vice Squad in scenes reminiscent from the 1950's or 60's demanded to be let in to view the pieces on show. According to an article in the Independent at the time, a Mr and Mrs lay who had intended to visit the Royal Academies summer show had come out of Sensation exclaiming angrily 'we believe that painting should beautify the world'. This succinctly summed up the difference between the earlier modernist period and the post modern, a belief that many still held today. If the role of modernism was to portray the emotions than even in this post modern period, a period supposedly devoted to context rather than content then Harvey was in fact serving up a cathartic alter in which the viewer could unleash their emotions (all be it a repugnant alter to many). (guardian.com, 2008,independant.co.uk, 1997) Harvey, in contrition stated ' I thought that the hand print was one of the most dignified images that I could find, the most simple image of the innocence absorbed by all that pain'. Sir Norman Rosenthal at the time a director at the Royal Academy argued that Myra was the single most important work of the show and fought hard to keep the piece in the exhibition. He stated 'they were made up of artists producing work that the public neither wanted or expected, but were forced to swallow because it raised issues of modernity that could not be avoided'. This came on the idea that traditionally British art had, with some exceptions, been lagging behind in the language of innovation. Suddenly the viewer had to learn that art was not just about creating a vision, rather it was about imposing that vision on others, and to accept this ideal. Rosenthal went on to state that; "the art gallery is a public place where we cannot so easily keep our thoughts and blushed embarrassment to ourselves, unlike the darkness of the theatre or cinema, or the privacy of reading. Visual artists for this very reason have a peculiar ability - and therefore, whether they like it or not, a responsibility - to draw attention to that elusive thing we call reality" (Norman Rosenthal, 'the blood must continue to flow', Sensation, Thames and Hudson 1997) We not only had to learn a new language of art we had to do it in public, in galleries, something which the Atelier Populaire would have been outraged at. (young, 2016, Independent 1997, Sensation 1997) The next piece we will look at is Fig 4, 'The physical impossibility of death in the mind of the living', 1991 by Damien. The work is described as 'having become embedded in popular culture as one of the most iconic images of contemporary art', this statement it must be said comes from the official Damien Hirst website which only helps to point out the entrepreneurial style of Hirst. According to the artist the title of the piece was 'just a statement that I had used to describe death to myself', a term he had used in a thesis on hyper reality. Hirsts intention was to use the gallery setting and its traditional air of studied intention juxtaposed with the confrontation or shock the viewer would feel when face to face with 'a shark that was real enough to frighten you', by isolating the shark from its natural habitat yet with the illusion of life he hoped to explore one of our greatest fears, that of death and the difficulties in which we try to come to terms with it. He explains 'you try to avoid [death], but it's such a big thing that you can't, that's the frightening thing isn't it ?' (Hirst.com, White, tate.org, 2013) We must understand here that Hirst was the major power behind Sensation, he showed a creative skill not just in the studio but also for carefully stage managing events. Bringing in the help and patronage of 'higher others' most notably Charles Saatchi, the private collector who helped bank roll Sensation and Hirsts work, this coming together of the artist, gallery and patron helped thrust the controversial exhibition into the media headlines and into popular art history and culture. (sensation, 1997) When we look back to the Young British Artists and their use of galleries to exhibit in, we find it is in total contrast to the modernist Atelier Populaires attitude to authority and their strict anti Bourgeois message and their idea of art for all. The use of a patron by Hirst and the idea that one wealthy individual such as Charles Saatchi could change societies perception of what art is was in direction opposition to the modernist belief that art had to be taken out of the hands of the elite and placed into the domain of the public, for only then would it be free to reach its true potential. Bibliography: Adams B, Jardine L, Maloney M, Rosenthal N, Shone R (2009) 'Sensation: young British artists from the Saatchi collection'. (3rd ed.). London: Thames and Hudson LTD. Atelier Populaire (2012) 'La Beaute est dans la rue'. (2nd ed.) London: Four Corners books. Butler.C. (2002) 'Postmodernism: a very short introduction. New York: Oxford University Press Inc. Van streven.B (2005) 'Images of Asperation'. Amsterdam: International Institute of social history/Aksant academic publishers. Young.C (2015/2016) Lectures. Internet: Blanchard.T / Independent (2008). 'Arts: Sensation as ink and egg are thrown at Hindley portrait'. available at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/arts-sensation-as-ink-and-egg-are-thrown-at-hindley-portrait-1239892.html. last accessed 3/3/2016. Hirst.D (2016). 'Artworks: The physical impossibility of death in the mind of the living'. available at http://www.damienhirst.com/the-physical-impossibility-of. last accessed 3/3/2016. Lack.J /the guardian (2008) 'Censoring provocative art is the worst advert for 2012'. available at http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2008/aug/26/art.olympics2012. last accessed 3/3/2016. Saatchi gallery (2016) 'Marcus Harvey'. available at http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/marcus_harvey.htm. last accessed 3/3/2016. White. L. (2013) 'Damien hirsts shark: Nature, Capitalism and the Sublime', in Nigel Llewellyn and Christine riding(eds),The Art of the Sublime. Tate Research Publication January 2013. available at http://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-publications/the-sublime/luke-white-damien-hirsts-shark-nature-capitalism-and-the-sublime-r1136828. last accessed 3/3/2016.
