What is Postmodern Art? The answer can be misleadingly simple: Postmodernism, sometimes called Po-mo, is art after, or in contradiction to some aspect of Modernism.

So all Postmodernism means is that it was made later than the Modern phase? Actually no, most scholars agree that for some time during the 1970’s Modernism and Postmodernism existed simultaneously. Arguably, they still do, since many contemporary artists work in Modern traditions.

What this article is concerned with is how to recognize Po-mo by identifying main characteristics of the genre. It is not intended to be a survey, but only give a brief idea of identifiable traits to look for, including: Installation, Public Works, and Performance works, Gender and Multicultural Issues, and a new treatment of materials. Although most of these terms are probably familiar, here they will be put into context, within the Museum of Glass and the Postmodern genre.

Installation is a strong tradition in Po-mo. It is work of any material that modifies the experience of a particular space. All of the works in Transparently Built and some in Fresh, are examples of Installation. Lavabo, although it is made out of two-dimensional laminate, influences the entire grand hall. Lavabo is also site-specific, meaning it was designed to exist only in the space for which it was created. An important thing to remember about Installation, it is not necessarily confined to gallery spaces and can exist in public or private spaces.

Public Art is always planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the public domain, usually outside and accessible to all. Typically Public Art is site specific, and also includes elements of community involvement or collaboration. Right next to the museum, on the esplanade, there are garden forms by Vashon artist Elizabeth Conner, who recycled used machine parts to create cheerful pods for passers by. Her work is an example of Postmodern Public Art.

Performance Art is a combination of Performing and Visual Arts in which the actions of an individual or a group at a specific place for a certain amount of time constitute the work. Performance Art is situational; however it always involves four basic elements: time, space, the performer’s body and a relationship between performer and audience. It is opposed to painting or sculpture, for example, where an object constitutes the work. An example of Performance Art at the Museum would be LelaVision, where performers are creating a level of visual interest and audience participation as much as a musical or theatrical piece.

Today much notice is brought to Gender Issues and Multiculturalism. Some of that attention is due to artists who brought visibility to these concerns. Beyond dealing specifically with stereotypes, many artists in this movement reflect on social issues, such as suburban sprawl, fashion and fetishes, gender identification, rampant consumerism and its effect on both men and women. Joyce J. Scott is a shining example of this Po-mo instinct. Her work is direct and sometimes confrontational, but does not swerve from its dedication to opening previously unthinkable conversations.

Joyce J. Scott’s work has several other Postmodern characteristics; her willingness to use whatever material is appropriate for the piece, and her love of history. Many feel Po-mo is a reconciliation of art with its past and Postmodern artists typically draw inspiration from all periods, including Modern. The definition of Postmodern Art claimed that it must be somehow in contradiction to the Modern style and often it is. However, most Postmodern artists also feel a connection to their predecessors, freely admitting they have borrowed working practices.

Po-mo can be difficult to define clearly. It is related to Postmodern Philosophy, which can get pretty heady for the average art enthusiast. A well known Postmodernist Philosopher, Jean-François Lyotard, believes that Postmodernism’s separation from Modernism stems from its aesthetic of the sublime rather than the beautiful. Sublime refers to the pleasurable anxiety we experience when confronting wild and threatening sights, like Aanéén’s two horses locked in deathly embrace. Another idea is that the motivation for a new movement in art is not creativity, but fashion, based in the desire for novelty. Jean Baudrillard is the source of this concept from his book The Post-Modern Condition. This is one explanation for why Po-mo tends to use so many found objects; it is acting as a mirror for our culture, which is mainly mass produced.

The next time you are in one of our galleries, you can now think to yourself, “Is this Postmodern or Contemporary,” and know what to look for in order to form your opinion. Does it activate the space it’s in? Did the artist address social issues? What materials did the artist use? And in the end it comes down to our Docent Orv’s favorite question: “What do you think?”