Marble 🎨
Post-post modernism, or “Pseudomodernism” (Gio read this)
I have to write a research paper on pseudomodernism, the era after postmodernism, so I thought I’d jot down my ideas here. Pseudo-modernism is a term coined by Alan Kirby, a British philosopher, who was the first person to establish the end of postmodernity and recognize that art is evolving into a new form which is characterized by superficial participation, perceived freedom, and instantaneous viewing. The viewer/reader of a pseudomodernist work is invited to insert himself into the piece, and relinquishes the full power in developing the work’s meaning. Pseudomodernism, like all previous eras of art, is a reaction to the era it proceeds. This era reacts most heavily to postmodernism’s creation of pieces which can stand on their own and do not require viewer participation. Pseudomodernism relies fully on the viewer/reader for a piece to exist and this can be attributed in some ways to our society’s heavy reliance on technology and digital culture. A current example of a psuedomodernist piece is the famed TV show, American Idol. At the end of each show, viewers are asked to vote for the singer they would like to remain in the competition. The viewers have full power in determining the meaning and content of the show. One could even say, that without voters’ opinions, the show could not continue on. Pseudomodernism relies on an interaction between viewer and content. Video games can be considered pseudomodernist as well. Without participation from the audience, Zelda could never make it to the next dungeon and a mariocart player may never reach the finish line, thus making the games content-less. Another example of a pseudomodernist work is porn. The way porn is handled currently, is that it is meant to be used rather than watched. An episode of porn becomes valid when the viewer uses his own power to give it meaning. It does not stand alone as a valid entity unless it is directed in a useful manner. An example of a piece that would not be considered pseudomodernist is the book The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a stand-alone piece that can exist without viewer participation, and in no way can the viewer alter the meaning of the piece except through his own interpretation. The Hunger Games will most likely exist for many years and can be read in future generations. However, a piece such as American Idol may not be re-watched in future generations, since it is most meaningful and engaging when the viewer is able to participate. This explains how pseudomodernist works are instantaneous and fleeting. Because they are fleeting and result from ADD culture, Kirby believes this current era in art will be dismal, with no aesthetically valuable works emerging from this era. I agree that this era produces works that are temporal. However, I recently saw a new and upcoming artist John Carpenter speak about his art practice which mostly concerns digital installation. In one of his pieces, Dandelion, Carpenter created a large-scale digital dandelion that changes shape and loses leaves based on the movements of the viewers in the installation room. Reliant on digital forms and the viewer, this piece embodies the definition of a pseudo-modernist piece. While I do believe it is best experienced in person and that much of its beauty and content gets lost when one does not see it live, I believe that proper documentation of the piece allows it to remain valid. I also believe, that unlike Kirby would like to admit, Dandelion is aesthetically pleasing in many ways. There is hope for pseudomodernism, but unlike in previous eras, this phase will rely as heavily upon the artist as it does the viewer for success. Â
