Brink’s Theory (2014) – Brink argues that modernism is characterized by a “crisis of meaning” due to the decline in religious authority and increased skepticism towards traditional sources of knowledge. He suggests that this crisis has resulted in an increasing emphasis on individual autonomy and self-expression. The result is a culture where social norms are challenged, conventions are reinterpreted, art forms are blurred, and boundaries between the public and private realms become increasingly blurred. He further states that these changes create new opportunities for creativity, but also lead to confusion about what constitutes “true” art or truth.
Read the articles by Brink (2014), Johnson (2014), and Kraut (2014) in this week’s resources. Summarize the key points of each theory
Johnson’s Theory (2014) – Johnson suggests that postmodernism emerged from modernism as a response to its “extreme rationalization”. According to Johnson, postmodernists reject linearity and any notion of absolute truth, preferring instead to embrace relativism and emphasize multi-perspectives. He claims that postmodernist art often works with irony or parody as tools for understanding the world around us, while encouraging viewers to challenge their assumptions about what is real and what is not. Furthermore, he argues that postmodern artists use elements such as fragmentation, juxtaposition, collage, pastiche etc., to disrupt conventional narrative structures in order to create unique ways of experiencing our environment.
Kraut’s Theory (2014) – Kraut suggests that globalization has led to a period of flux which he terms “transnational” culture. He argues that this process involves both integration across cultures as well as disconnection from certain aspects of those same cultures. Thus there is an ongoing tension between localized tendencies toward assimilation and acceptance of global trends toward homogenization which results in hybridized cultural forms not previously seen before (e.g., fusion music). Additionally Kraut claims that transnational culture can be used for political purposes such as creating solidarity among disparate groups within society or unifying people against oppressive forces outside their own borders