PostModernism

Post modernism is a set of ideas that has only emerged as an area of academic study since the mid – 1980s. Postmodernism is a concept that appears in wide variety of disciplines including art, architecture, music, film, literature, fashion and technology.

The easiest way to start thinking about postmodernism is by thinking about modernism, the movement from which postmodernism seems to grow. Of all movements in art and design history, post modernism is perhaps the most controversial.

Post modernism brought a radical freedom to art and design, most of all, over the course of two decades, from about 1970 to 1990.  It was a drastic departure from modernism’s utopian visions which had been based on clarity and simplicity.

Martine Bedin, Super lamp prototype, 1981. Painted metal with lighting components.

Ron Arad, Concrete Stereo, 1983. Stereo system set in concrete

As the 1980’s started to approach, post modernism went into high gear. What have started as a radical design movement, it became the dominant look of the designer decade’. The most important delivery systems that worked out for the post modernism were magazines and music.

Post Modern design (Memphis)

As the designer decade wore on and the world economy boomed, post modernism became the preferred style of consumerism and corporate culture.

Post modernism collapsed under its own success. The complexity of post modernism was influential in the 1980s. Today, as we are in the 21st century, we are still feeling its effects.

Post Modern inspired Mobile Home Design

References:

• V&A, 2014. Postmodernism [image online] available at: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/p/postmodernism/