In what ways do Postmodern artist challenge the traditional concept of creativity?

 

As mentioned in your Lecturette, and on the linked YouTube video, postmodernism is a rejection of absolute truth. Postmodernism is more about the philosophy than about technique, aesthetic or methods, as with previous movements. Postmodernism rejects Greenberg’s school of thought that art had a correct logical and pure path. The philosophy is inclusive, and provides artists multiple entrances and exits.

 

The work of all of the artists we looked at this week releases the artist as sole author. The idea that artists are special, talented, unique human beings, goes back to the Renaissance when they were thought to be the hand of God. Sol Lewitt, John Cage and Yoko Ono give up authorship by creating works that can be reproduced by reading instructions. Their instructions range from very specific to very vague, leaving many choices up to the person following out the instructions. It seems to me that the creativity in the Fluxus movement is that through the act of giving up control they are opening up infinite possibilities, meanings and interpretations of their work. By inviting other artists and the audience to participate, translate and interpret their art their work becomes a generative creative experience for more than just the artist as singular author.

 

Sol Lewit’s drawings were very interesting because even the drawings that were very specific with detailed guidelines varied from one instillation to the next because of the space, the wall, the quality of drawing material and the draftsman who performed the act of drawing. My favorite drawing was the one that connects architectural points with blue chalk line. The creativity in this piece occurs in multiple ways. My favorite part of this piece is that the act of drawing many of these drawings is a bit obsessive, repetitive, and meditative. The act of drawing as meditation, following instructions, making choices, or simply concentrating on the task at hand is sure to create thoughts that are unique to each draftsperson.

 

John Cage’s Water piece was brilliant. I hadn’t ever seen that one before. The seriousness was tempered by the humor. The clash of the cymbal on the bathwater, the party popper, the choice to drink the water, or blow bubbles. The somewhat randomness of the objects and actions were carefully orchestrated, using domestic objects, bringing the small pleasure of everyday sounds into a timed orchestration. My favorite part was when the blender started smoking.

 

Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece is so intense, and in undergrad inspired 85% of the feminist performance works I attended. From beginning to end, the uncomfortable laughing slows to silence. It’s hard not to notice that most women are conservative with their cuts, not without sexualizing her body but choosing more sensual body parts to touch and expose. It is hard not to make parallels to gang rape when some men come up and cut away clothing close to her breasts and her skirt. Yoko’s eyes and face remains so serious, her breathing is heavy, sometimes you see that her body is protesting the stillness. As a performance, the brazenness of the audience grows, it becomes a challenge to see who can cut more, as more and more people cut it is more and more acceptable to disregard her right to dignity.  Of course, not all of Yoko’s pieces are so intensely charged. She challenges the audience to participate, often asking them very philosophical questions.

 

I have been a longtime fan of Alohra y Calzedilla. Their piece with the smoking car, driven by a smoking man, controlling the spit of the smoking pig is an amazing piece. A highly political group called Calle 13 is the music that is playing during that piece. Partially because of these artists and that piece I have amassed a rather impressive collection of Central and South American rap. Their work fits into the postmodernist category because it is so incredibly different from itself from piece to piece. They work differently from piece to piece. They react to the world through appropriation and humor. Though they have a much more politically charged inspiration than the early Fluxus pieces. They use humor, juxtaposition and absurdity to start conversations about human rights and dignity. Cage’s influence is apparent, especially with their pieces with music. They are not looking for a composition, rather their scores are created somewhat by chance. Unlike Cage, their sounds are larger representations of emotional and political meaning, specific to the place, time and people involved.

 

The work of Tehching Hieh is intense. Unlike the previous artists he gives up authorship not by necessarily working with a collaborator, except that year he was tied to another person, but by bringing attention to the insignificance/significance of humans passing through time and space. Politically charged, bringing attention to the experience of the overlooked, his work is masochistic in nature, sacrificing years at a time to prove a point. The postmodernism in this piece is partially in his own insistence in the neutrality of his intention. Though I see masochism, and protest, his somewhat nihilist interpretation of his own work almost creates him as more of a martyr. The everyday, every hour, every man experience of his work calls into attention the unseen laborers, homeless and mentally ill. He reminds me of my ex-husband. “Life is a life sentence.” –Tehching Hieh

 

The interesting part for me was how much music and sound had to do with many of these artists. Perhaps that’s connected to Kant’s quote that Cage brings up, “There are 2 things in life that don’t have to mean anything. Music is one and the other is laughter.” In most of these pieces, with the exception of Hieh, music or laughter is present. Postmodernism is self-aware, because it is critical of absolute truths. These artists are offering a chance for people to create and recreate their art through their own interpretation. They are not saying there is one right way to create art, experience art or interpret it, and all of these processes are creative processes.