Tuesday, 10 May 2016

Lecture 9 - Modernism

Modernity
Industrialization, urbanization, the city.

Modernism
The artist's response to Modernity.  

John Ruskin (1819 - 1900) 
Paris 1900 - Most advanced and modern city of the time.
Urbanization - Shift from rural to urban.  
Work time, Leisure time. 
Lives no Longer limited by sun and nature.

Enlightenment of the 18th century
  • Emergence of pivotal and important works of science and philosophy
  • Pushed society away from God and towards logic and science
  • Eiffel tower: 1889, symbol of modernity and unapologetic aesthetic (metal/form follows function)
Modernism = Improvement 
  • Late 1880s - paintings shift to the city and become more impressionistic.
 
Haussimanisation
  • Paris 1850s onwards - New Paris
  • Haussimanisation - Redesigning Paris to make it easier to police (social control)
  • Dangerous elements of the city are moved outside of the city centre
  • Upper class zone
Psychological Advances
  • Fashion becomes an important form of self expression of individuality in a cluttered and busy society.
 Darker Aspects     
  • Degas - Absinthe drinker (1876)
  • Cropping aesthetic in painting resembling photography
Kaiserpanorama - 1883 
  • Circular viewing machine
  • look at slides (landscapes, artworks, porn)
  • Engage with the world through a machine
  • Alienated, technological 
Modernism - A response to the shifting forces of Modernity and Experience of Modernity.
 
Design 
  • Anti-Historicism
  • Truth to materials
  • Form follows function
  • Technology
  • Internationalism
  • Celebrate new materials for what they are
  • Beauty in function
  • Architecture: buildings grow up to accommodate for rapidly growing population in small locations
  • Accidentally haunting buildings (modernist architecture looks great new but wear and tear give it a clinical and depressing appearance.)
  • Sleek, modern
Reject style and history to create something neutral and timeless!   
 
 
 

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