‘Is it possible to describe any aspect of graphic design today as postmodern(ist)?’
Lisa Collier // BA Graphic Design // Leeds College of Art
Since the mid-late twentieth century, Postmodernism is more commonly referred to as the most controversial of all the art and design movements of that era, exhausting all concepts of innovation, individualism and style. The definition according to the Oxford Dictionaries for ‘Postmodernism’ is a late-twentieth century style and concept in the arts, architecture and criticism, which represents a departure from modernism and is characterised by the self-conscious use of earlier style and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media and general distrust of theories [Oxford English Dictionary, 2011]. Postmodernism became the unstable combination of theoretical and theatrical, bringing with it a sense of freedom and self-awareness to art and design often through humourism and irrational stereotypes. (Longo. R, 2011)
Modernism and Postmodernism are now two of the most dominant and diverse terms applied to the twentieth century culture. According to Nigel Wheale (1995) Modernity is defined as the social condition brought about by the development of the Western world’s characteristic economic formation. He also believes that weak postmodernism welcomes the failure of analytical rationality and moral argument and accepts this groundlessness as a reason to act out of a pure relativism implied by postmodern thinking, whereas strong postmodernism calls for even greater analysis and reflection on the nature of modernity’s failure through self-critical practices, whether in philosophy, the arts, or politics. Postmodernism has become a response to modernism over time, however it takes on a much ‘less-serious’ approach. Modernism is associated with experimentation, innovation and individualism whereas postmodernism contradicts these views and a postmodern artist would argue that there is no point in experimenting because it’s all been done before. The future is all about working collaboratively. Although postmodernism and modernism are very different things, some factors of the two overlay; modern life, technology, new materials and communication. Modernism was an expression of technology at the time, whereas postmodernism is a reaction to the conditions of modernism.
Double coding is a dominant trait of classical postmodernist design. Both Jencks and Hutcheon refer to postmodernism as ‘doubleness’ or ‘duplicity’ within their writings. Double coding meant that postmodernist designs conveyed two different meanings, understandings or beliefs. In the example of the Sony building in New York, it is both a tall skyscraper representing modern art and illustrating juxtaposition to modern technology as well as the contradictory elements at the top of the architectural design, which exemplify classical relic. Irony is another common trait within postmodernism, probably best displayed in Charles Moore’s Piazza d’Italia (1978). Moore uses aspects of both Italian renaissance and Roman antiquity. He uses the two ironically by covering the pillars with steel.
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s we saw a vast range of experimental styles within postmodern design reflecting
architectural elements of the past. Hans Hollein’s façade for the Venice Biennale in 1980 demonstrates a ‘presence of the past’ within his design. The piece has ‘street of styles’ at it’s centre named the Strada Novissima. He designed a set of historical columns beginning with an archaic garden scene, expanding to classical ruins and on to a more modern skyscraper. This approach to art was attacked at the time by critics, primarily Philosopher Jürgen Habermas, who claimed it was a regression of artistic attitudes. Habermas stated that it presented an ‘avant-garde of reversed fronts’.
Exaggeration, Vivid colour and theatricality soon became the style statement of the 1980’s. What had begun, as a radical fringe movement became the new style and appearance that people craved. The greatest phase of this next stage in the postmodern era became Posters and magazines. Postmodern graphics involved the use of bricolage, fragmentation and quotation. Bricolage was a cut and paste technique which was adopted by many important graphic designers and artists at the time (Longo. R, 2011). Postmodern bricolage can look like the modernist collages that preceded it. Anthropologist Claude Levi Strauss defined the bicolour as someone working with ‘oddments left over from human endeavours’.
Tadanori Yokoo is a Japanese Graphic Designer born in 1936. He reflects on postmodernist elements within his designs and he became a pioneer of postmodern appropriation and bricolage. He became famous for his poster designs created for Tatsumi Hijikata and the Garumella Dance Company. The two posters were created three years apart and show how he encircles back on own tracks, the second design cannibalises the first. He uses the same images throughout both designs, tweaking minor parts of his work, which allows us to see how he uses his past reflection and use of postmodernist aspects to inspire his more modern pieces. The sun is taken from the Japanese flag and the pair of nudes are inspired from a 16th century French painting. These two features appear in both his designs, however more prominent in the earlier piece than the later. His work was created in 1965 and then re-designed in 1968. He used a screen print techniques to produce both his designs.
Tadanori's designs reflect many aspects of postmodern art. His pieces show a contrast with one another reflecting his 'humour' by using two nude women touching one another's nipples as the main focal piece. He creates a very controversial feel within his designs by placing the Sun taken from the Japanese flag (a very serious element) and placing two nude women in front of it. He has also clouded over their faces giving this 'hidden' identity approach to the design. The first piece created in 1965 (featured on the left below) is much more classic and follows typical conventions of a Postmodern design by using vivid bold colours and humorous or ironic imagery. In his second piece created in 1968 these aspects are much more disguised, however still typically postmodern. Because of his use of colour and postmodern characteristics he is often described as the 'Japanese Andy Warhol'.
Modern day artists such as Jackson Pollock and Marcel Duchamp are great influences in the postmodern discipline. The public became desecrated when Pollock’s work ‘Blue Poles’ was bought by the Australian Government, using taxpayer’s money. However, now they have grown to love his controversy and style as his work has become a great success. Marcel Duchamp is one of the largest names in the postmodern industry, one of his most famous designs was a humour based version of Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ which is very contentious and bridges the gap between modernism and society today. (Salberg. D, 2009)
Charles Jencks believes that postmodernism is not necessarily more mature or better than its 'parent' form: Modernism. It is just, however, here to stay. He believes that this is the reason for the increasing number of books we see in today's culture based around Postmodernism compared with the number we see relating to Modernism. Whilst Charles Jencks discusses how postmodernism has become increasingly more popular than it’s predecessor modernism, Glenn Ward however reviews the way in which others have moved on from postmodernism or at least still remain skeptical about its usefulness. He quotes, ‘Postmodernism has led such a complicated life that it is perhaps more accurate to speak of the existence of several postmodernisms. On the one hand, it continues to circulate in popular culture. On the other hand, it remains a controversial subject. For some, postmodernism is firmly established as a shorthand tern for a range of social and cultural transformations. Still others have grown out of it or remain skeptical about its usefulness’. (Ward, 2011;2)
Postmodernism peaked in the 1980’s and became a hit in the fashion world with dancers, choreographers, art directors, performance artists, pop stars, and drag queens. Mick Rock and Annie Lennox were just two of postmodernism’s most influential style statements at the time. The alternative ‘Miss World’ pageant founded by Jeweler and sculpted by Andrew Logan became a showpiece for London fashion designers, artists and drag queens alike. In an early example of postmodern gender play Logan Styled himself as the ‘host/hostess’ in a cross gender outfit. Annie Lennox then went on to become a distinctive postmodern celebrity of the times and introduced freedom with regard to the gender norms. (Longo. R, 2011)
By the End of the 1980’s postmodernism, in similar ways to modernism, has begun to disintegrate. It was no longer a subcultural style or radical solution to design. It had now become mainstream. The movement of postmodernism at the time was hugely influential in all disciplines. If postmodernism has died it certainly left behind a set of unresolved questions. However, do we still live in a post-modern era? Some would argue that yes, we do whereas other would disagree stating that we have now moved on again and are living in a post-postmodern era. Personally I believe many aspects of the postmodern era are still with us today, particularly in architecture.
To conclude Postmodernism is a reflection and response to the movements of Modernism. It is appreciated both by designers and the public in today’s society unlike in the late nineties when Postmodernism first expanded and the public couldn’t understand why artists found it acceptable to deface famous drawings or throw paint on to a canvas and sell it for millions of pounds. However, over the years it has become increasingly popular and as our understanding of postmodernism and design has advanced, the world has grown to appreciate this fine art.
Bibliography
- Wheale, N. (1995) 'the postmodern arts', New York, Routledge.
- Salberg. D (2009) ‘Anthropology Theories Postmodernism and it’s critics’ [Internet], Tuscaloosa, Publishing available from http://anthropology.ua.edu/cultures/cultures.php?culture=Postmodernism%20and%20Its%20Critics [03/01/12]
- Hutcheon, L. (1991) 'The politics of Postmodernism', New York, Routledge.
- Harvey, D. (2000) 'The condition of postmodernity', Oxford, Blackwell Publishers Ltd.
- Jencks, C. (1992) 'The post-modern reader', New York, ST MARTIN'S PRESS.
- Eichberger. C (2011) ‘Postmodernism in Graphic Design’ [Internet], Publishing available from http://www.onextrapixel.com/2011/04/11/postmodernism-po-mo-in-graphic-design/ [18/01/12]
- Jencks, C. (1996) 'What is Post-Modernism? (Fourth edition)', Chichester, West Sussex, Wiley-Academy John
Wiley and Sons.
- Kunzru. H (2011) ‘Postmodernism: From the cutting edge to the museum’ [Internet], London, Publishing available from http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/sep/15/postmodernism-cutting-edge-to-museum [04/01/12]
- Ward G. (2011) ‘Understand Postmodernism (third edition)’ McGraw-Hill
- Longo R. (2011) ‘Postmodernism Style and Subversion 1970-1990’ Victoria and Albert Museum, London (02/01/12)
- Keedy. D (1998) ‘Graphic Design in the postmodern Era’ San Francisco, Publishing available from http://www.emigre.com/Editorial.php?sect=1&id=20 [16/01/12]
