Postmodern

Postmodern

Postmodern is a term that refers to a late-20th-century movement in art, architecture, and criticism that departed from modernism and the avant-garde. Postmodernism emerged as a reaction against the perceived limitations and failings of modernist principles, which emphasized functionalism, rationality, and universal truths. In contrast, postmodernism embraces pluralism, irony, and skepticism towards grand narratives and ideologies. Postmodern art often blurs the boundaries between high and low culture, employing techniques such as pastiche, collage, and appropriation to challenge traditional notions of originality and authorship. It frequently incorporates elements of popular culture, mass media, and technology, reflecting the increasing fragmentation and complexity of contemporary society. Postmodern architecture, exemplified by the works of Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Michael Graves, rejects the austerity and uniformity of modernist buildings in favor of eclectic, historically referential, and often playful designs that engage with their surroundings and the viewer's expectations. In the realm of critical theory, postmodernism questions the foundations of Western thought, including the concepts of objective reality, stable identity, and the possibility of universal knowledge. Thinkers such as Jean-François Lyotard, Jean Baudrillard, and Fredric Jameson have explored the implications of postmodernism for philosophy, politics, and culture, arguing that it represents a fundamental shift in the way we understand and navigate the world.

art, architecture, criticism, pluralism, eclecticism, appropriation, fragmentation

— John Armstrong

CITATION : "John Armstrong. 'Postmodern.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/postmodern?E=432893 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"