Modernism/Postmodernism

Although there is no set dates as to when the start an end of modernism was, it is generally regarded as the period from the late 19^th to early 20^th century, where the arts went under a big change. It was a period where people looked towards a utopian society, with the help of technology. This change impacted the visual arts as well as literature and music.

This movement abandoned the Victorian ways, seeing things such as ornament as unnecessary, and moved away from realism in paintings and such. The latter could be said due to photography coming in, giving much more accurate and realistic images of the real world. And with this aspect of art gone, a new one had to be found. It was as Oscar Wilde wrote, “Indeed, the moment that an artist takes notice of what other people want, and tries to supply the demand, he ceases to be an artist, and becomes a dull or an amusing craftsman, an honest or dishonest tradesman. He has no further claim to be considered as an artist.” (Oscar Wilde, 1891)

Postmodernism, which appeared after WW2 where people’s hopes of a “utopian society” were smashed, and they were exposed to such horrors of man killing man with the aid of technology. It rejected everything modernism stood for, and brought with it a new found scepticism compared to the hopefulness of the modernist movement.

Reference list:

Oscar Wilde. (1891) The Soul of Man Under Socialism