Tuesday 23 August 2011

Post Modernism? - Visuals


"Postmodernism? What exactly does postmodernism art looks like?"



(I-D Magazine cover during the 1980s, designed by Terry Jones)

Why is this post modernism design?
There's a use of aggressive collages, colors, experimental photography were the norm and were the "style" of postmodernism that was able to strike a dramatic design aesthetics. (Refer to first post: American Punk) 



(God save the Queen by Sex Pistols, Album cover by James Reid)

Why is this post modern design?

Moving away from the conformities of design. Anti-patriotic. The poster has texture along with quite bold, block colouring, both qualities being characteristics of postmodern design. This cover would later come to influence a style that would come to categorize early postmodern design different typeface in one compositions with little to no visible organization and the use of appropriation.

(Another Cover of Sex Pistols' album by James Reid)

Why is this Post Modern Design?

This is experimental with type, a key feature of postmodernist design. Bold, block colouring. A modern twist to traditional materials. Dramatic layout, not conforming to the traditional techniques, mirroring the punk rock social attitude at the time.



(Poster by Barbara Kruger)

Why is this post modernism design?

There isn't a specific grid system to the layout of the type, making it look "free".


(Poster by El Lissitzky)

Why is this post modernism design?

The use of geometric shapes going against traditional conventions is a characteristic of post modernism within graphic design.



Conclusion : Postmodernism favors expressive designs and a rebellion against for strict constraints, and many of the designers who pioneered this movement were young, the design aesthetics of a magazine centered around a postmodern youth culture proved to be a perfect catalyst for such experimentations in typography and image manipulation. An important facet of postmodern design theory is the idea of anti-humanism, which explains that a universal principle cannot possibly be shared by all human beings, and insists that any principles must be determined historically and culturally