Week 2 - Post-Modernism - Ai Weiwei and Banksy.

POST-MODERNISM

This week's ALVC tutorial covers Post-Modernism. Use the ALVC texts and definitions from the internet to define the term and answer the following questions;

1. Define Post-Modernism using 8-10 bullet points that include short quotes.

• Reflexivity
• Relativist thinking from others 
• New universalist thinking 
• Irony
• Pluralist 
• Hyper-reality
• Intertextuality
• Mixing of culture

2. Use a quote by Witcombe (2000) to define the Post-Modern artist.(page 24)

“The post-modern artist is 'reflexive' in that he/she is self-aware and consciously involved in a process of thinking about him/herself and society in a deconstructive manner, 'demasking' pretentions, becoming aware of his/her cultural self in history, and accelerating the process of self-consciousness”, Witcombe (2000).

3. Use the table on pages 47 and 48 in your ALVC handbook to summarize the list of the features of Post-Modernity.


- Social and cultural pluralism 
- Focus on playing surface, images or signifiers without considering depth. 
- Hyper-reality, looks more powerful than the 'real'.
- Art as process, not just as object or finish work.
- Play, irony, challenge to official seriousness. 

Use this summary to answer the next two questions.

4. Research Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's 'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994)
in order to say what features of the work could be considered Post-Modern.


Dropping the Urn offers viewers a focused look at Ai's iconoclastic appropriations of historic clay pots and porcelain vases.In the work "Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo"(1994), Ai transforms precious artifacts—treating them as base and valueless by painting, dropping, grinding, or slapping with a logo—into contemporary fine art.

Through his work Ai addresses issues pertinent to contemporary China,  it is a way of creating work  intertextually to other cultures.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/a/ai-weiwei-dropping-the-urn-ceramic-works,-5000-bc-ad-2010/

'Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola logo'(1994), Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei dropping a Han Dynast Urn.

6. Research British artist Banksy's street art, and analyze the following two works by the artist
to discuss how each work can be defined at Post-Modern.(Use your list from question 3.)

'Flower Riot', Banksy

Los Angeles (2008), Banksy

Banksy is a british artist who is famous for his political stenciled graffitis. "Flower Riot", which is  one of his most famous work, is considered to be a post-modernism artwork to communicate his own opinion. This work is about a man wear a mask while throwing a bunch of flower forward. Banksy is trying to get viewer think about the war that is not the only useful way to solve problem. This work is linked to the global issues that we face to nowadays.

His work " Los Angeles" looks more funny of  a ape-man taking junk food in his hand. however this also make people thinking. 

http://theworldsbestever.com/2008/02/new_banksy_pieces_surface_in_l.php

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2009/03/11/how-china-conquered-the-art-world.html