Modernism & Post-modernism

Modernism & Post-modernism was the topic in week 4, and at to be honest I wasn't really interested at the start but as the lecture went on I found myself becoming more and more interested in the topic.  We started by discussing modernism, which is a period active up until 1960 and was defined heavily by war.  A definition of Modernism is that it is a set of cultural tendencies and associated cultural movements.  Modernism also strongly believes in the grand narrative that explains why we are all here and always has a strong belief in progression (Marxism).   In modernism I felt that the idea was that everyone would aspire to this ideal life with nice house, 2.4 children etc., which reminded me on the Pete Seeger song little Boxes.

The transition point between modernism and post-modernism came between 1950 and 1960. This was a time when people like Bob Dylan were coming along and breaking the mould so to speak.  A key piece of art of that time came from a man called Richard Hamilton, who produced arguably the first piece of pop art. In 1956 he produced a collage called "Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing” In the collage it shows various items on the times such as a TV and a famous people of the time.  This piece was a huge statement and change in thinking when it was released.    

Post-Modernism is the period from 1960 onwards.  Post-modernism is routed in contemporary culture, and Is characterized by the problem of objective truth; and it also carries a great suspicion against global culture, it contradicts modernism in many ways, and one of the main ways is the questioning of the modernism belief that there is a grand narrative.  Post-modernism also used images of war as questions against modernism, and unveiled a weakness and darkness in modernism.   One thing I find great about Post-modernism is that it believes text music and poetry can mix, to create something new.   I product of post-modernism was minimalism, and the ability to cut art way back to something more striking and to the point.  

At the end of the class we used various products and inventions as indicators to modernism and post-modernism, key comparisons during this exercise were the old mini to the new mini, the latter being post-modern.  Other comparisons were the TV to the IPAD, and the Brando leather Jackets to the new biker jackets sold now.  Overall all I found the lecture interesting, but strangely I also found myself trying to put my self in one on the two categories, but I couldn’t I don’t know why, I agreed mostly with post modernism but there were a few aspects of modernism that I connected with and that made some sense to me.  So overall I couldn’t really decide which category I was in, but then if I’m trying to put myself in a category then maybe I belong in modernism.

The Art of The Record / CD Sleeve

Our week 3 lecture was about 2D & 3D imagery, specifically concentrating on Album artwork.  The lecture started with short tussle with the computer as it seemed to be as hungover and as tired as half of the students, after all it was Friday morning.  Then we started with a brief opening discussion on the Music industry and how no one really buys CD's any more.  The only time we do is in some special situations such as: your a massive fan of the artist or particularly like the album.  In any case we discovered your decision to buy the CD will be greatly swayed buy the album artwork or extras,  the prime example of this was Radiohead's album, which was sold for free, but the artwork had to be paid for, and was by a lot of people.

Next we were given a challenge; we were asked to listen to a 15minute piece of audio, which played various pieces of music and interviews/speeches by famous people of that time.  This seemed interesting,  but then a £50 bet was introduced to awaken the rest of the lecture theatre.  We listened to the various recordings of music and speeches and interviews of the time, and to my surprise I got a lot of them correct, as well as many others, although needless to say no one won the £50.  But during the process I weirdly started putting pictures  and dates to the sound I was hearing, whether this was the point of the exercise or not I don't know, but if it was then it worked.

Once the exercise was complete a big box of records were produced; and if you ever want a insight into someone's personality, there music collection is the way to do it.  As we looked through the records; some great albums to be honest, we talked about how the artwork was specific to each decade, Genre and movement, from the teddy boys right through to the 70's punk records and artists like the Sex Pistols and The Who's 1970 live album, Live at Leeds.  It also became very clear when looking through the records that as the years past album artwork and presentation became very important, maybe even more so than the music. It also became very clear that no matter how punk a man is or how many cool things they've done, there's always that one record that will ruin there punk integrity, in our lecturers case it was his prized Cliff Richard record.

After we finished looking at the artwork, we discussed Raymond Williams concept that for all cultural movements there are three phases, they are: Emergent; which is like the authentic product, Appropriation; which is the Business, and Historicisation;  which is selling the product again years later, to all those fans are trying to recapture their youth.  The third step has been very relevant in the past few years, with artists    like Bruce Springsteen, Pick Floyd etc.. releasing various material with the remastered albums, than for really no other reason than to make money.

This topic lead on to the final discussion that was the fact that digital music is worthless, which in a way I feel is true, because on my computer I have hundreds of albums, and to be honest there just there and used when needed and that's it, whereas my very small collection of vinyl I would literally guard with my life, just because I consider them little pieces of art from a certain time and place and I can physically hold them,  Even though the digital format is more useful and contains more information.  Overall I released how important artwork is to me and music, and also how it influences the way I spend my money and my perception of the music and artists.