The document discusses the essence and characteristics of modernism. Modernism emerged in response to industrialization and social changes in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. It rejected traditional forms and embraced new technologies. Key aspects included abstract art, stream-of-consciousness novels, atonal music, and self-conscious experimentation. Modernism questioned moral, religious and belief systems in light of rapid scientific and technological progress. It aimed to constantly redefine itself to keep pace with modern changes. Modern architecture emphasized simplicity, rationality, and flexibility over ornamentation.
The document discusses the essence and characteristics of modernism. Modernism emerged in response to industrialization and social changes in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. It rejected traditional forms and embraced new technologies. Key aspects included abstract art, stream-of-consciousness novels, atonal music, and self-conscious experimentation. Modernism questioned moral, religious and belief systems in light of rapid scientific and technological progress. It aimed to constantly redefine itself to keep pace with modern changes. Modern architecture emphasized simplicity, rationality, and flexibility over ornamentation.
The document discusses the essence and characteristics of modernism. Modernism emerged in response to industrialization and social changes in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. It rejected traditional forms and embraced new technologies. Key aspects included abstract art, stream-of-consciousness novels, atonal music, and self-conscious experimentation. Modernism questioned moral, religious and belief systems in light of rapid scientific and technological progress. It aimed to constantly redefine itself to keep pace with modern changes. Modern architecture emphasized simplicity, rationality, and flexibility over ornamentation.
The document discusses the essence and characteristics of modernism. Modernism emerged in response to industrialization and social changes in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. It rejected traditional forms and embraced new technologies. Key aspects included abstract art, stream-of-consciousness novels, atonal music, and self-conscious experimentation. Modernism questioned moral, religious and belief systems in light of rapid scientific and technological progress. It aimed to constantly redefine itself to keep pace with modern changes. Modern architecture emphasized simplicity, rationality, and flexibility over ornamentation.
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Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
Supplementary Exam
Essence of Modernism
Ali Wasiq Tirmizi
Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
Essence of Modernism?
According to Wikipedia Modernism is both a philosophical movement and an arts movement
that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and most of the 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, and social organization which reflected the newly emerging industrial world, including features such as urbanization, new technologies, and war. Artists attempted to depart from traditional forms of art and architecture, which they considered outdated or obsolete. The poet Ezra Pound's 1934 injunction to "Make it New" was the touchstone of the movement's approach.i
Cube House by Piet Blom, Rotterdam, Netherlands 1970’s
Modernist innovations included abstract art, the stream-of-consciousness novel, montage
cinema, atonal and twelve-tone music, and divisionist painting. Modernism explicitly rejected the ideology of realismii,iii,iv and made use of the works of the past by the employment of reprise, incorporation, rewriting, recapitulation, revision and parody.v,vi,vii Modernism also rejected the certainty of Enlightenment thinking, and many modernists also rejected religious belief.viii The rejection of moral and religious principles was compounded by the repudiation of all systems of beliefs, whether in the arts, politics, sciences or philosophy. Doubt was not necessarily the most significant reason why this questioning took place. One of the causes of this iconoclasm was the fact that early 20th-century culture was literally re-inventing itself on a daily basis. With so many scientific discoveries and technological innovations taking place, the world was changing so quickly that culture had to re-define itself constantly in order to keep pace with Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
modernity and not appear anachronistic. By the time a new scientific or philosophical system or artistic style had found acceptance, each was soon after questioned and discarded for an even newer one. Another reason for this fickleness was the fact that people felt a tremendous creative energy always looming in the background as if to announce the birth of some new invention or theory.ix A notable characteristic of modernism is self-consciousness concerning artistic and social traditions, which often led to experimentation with form, along with the use of techniques that drew attention to the processes and materials used in creating works of art.x
Pablo Picasso, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907). This proto-cubist work is considered a seminal
influence on subsequent trends in modernist painting. Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
Modernism: Characteristics The characteristic associated with modernism is nihilism, the rejection of all religious and moral principles as the only means of obtaining social progress. In other words, the modernists repudiated the moral codes of the society in which they were living in. The reason that they did so was not necessarily because they did not believe in God, although there was a great majority of them who were atheists, or that they experienced great doubt about the meaninglessness of life. Rather, their rejection of conventional morality was based on its arbitrariness, its conformity and its exertion of control over human feelings. In other words, the rules of conduct were a restrictive and limiting force over the human spirit. The modernists believed that for an individual to feel whole and a contributor to the re-vitalization of the social process, he or she needed to be free of all the encumbering baggage of hundreds of years of hypocrisy.xi
The rejection of moral and religious principles was compounded by the repudiation of all systems of beliefs, whether in the arts, politics, sciences or philosophy. Doubt was not necessarily the most significant reason why this questioning took place. One of the causes of this iconoclasm was the fact that early 20th-century culture was literally re-inventing itself on a daily basis. With so many scientific discoveries and technological innovations taking place, the world was changing so quickly that culture had to re-define itself constantly in order to keep pace with modernity and not appear anachronistic. By the time a new scientific or philosophical system or artistic style had found acceptance, each was soon after questioned and discarded for an even newer one. Another reason for this fickleness was the fact that people felt a tremendous creative energy always looming in the background as if to announce the birth of some new invention or theory. xii Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
The Forces That Shaped Modernism
How was modernism such a radical departure from what had preceded it in the past? The modernists were militant about distancing themselves from every traditional idea that had been held sacred by Western civilization, and perhaps we can even go so far as to refer to them as intellectual anarchists in their willingness to vandalize anything connected to the established order. In order to better understand this modernist iconoclasm, let's go back in time to explore how and why the human landscape was changing so rapidly.xiii
By 1900 the world was a bustling place transformed by all of the new discoveries, inventions and technological achievements that were being thrust on civilization: electricity, the combustion engine, the incandescent light bulb, the automobile, the airplane, radio, X-rays, fertilizers and so forth. These innovations revolutionized the world in two distinct ways. For one, they created an optimistic aura of a worldly paradise, of a new technology that was to reshape man into moral perfection. In other words, technology became a new religious cult that held the key to a new utopian dream that would transform the very nature of man. Secondly, the new technology quickened the pace through which people experienced life on a day to day basis. For instance, the innovations in the field of transportation and communication accelerated the daily life of the individual. Whereas in the past, a person's life was circumscribed by the lack of mechanical resources available, a person could now expand the scope of daily activities through the new liberating power of the machine. Man now became literally energized by all of these scientific and technological innovations and, more important, felt a rush emanating from the feeling that he was invincible, that there was no stopping him.xiv Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
Modernity, however, was not only shaped by this new technology. Several philosophical theoreticians were to change the way that modern man perceives the external world, particularly in their refutation of the Newtonian principle that reality was an absolute, unquestionable entity divorced from those observing it. The first to do so was F. H. Bradley, who considered that the human mind is a more fundamental feature of the universe than matter and that its purpose is to search for truth. His most ambitious work, Appearance and Reality: A Metaphysical Essay (1893), introduced the concept that an object in reality can have no absolute contours but varies from the angle from which it is seen. Thus Bradley defines the identity of a things as the view the onlooker takes of it. The effect of this work was to encourage rather than dispel doubt. In one of the most seminal works of this century, "On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies," Albert Einstein's theory of relativity held that, if, for all frames of reference, the speed of light is
constant and if all natural laws are the same, then both time and motion are found to be relative to the observer. In other words, there is no such thing as universal time and thus experience runs very differently from man to man. Alfred Whitehead was another who revised the ideas of time, space and motion as the basis of man's perception of the external world. He viewed reality as living geometry and believed in the essential relevance of every object to all other objects: "all entities or factors in the universe are essentially relevant to each other's existence since every entity involves an infinite array of perspectives." For all of these thinkers, subjectivity was now the main focus.xv Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
Modernism in Architecture Modernism in architecture emerged a response to accelerated industrialization and social changes. Pursuing order and universals in architecture, modernism utilized new materials and advanced technology and rejected old, traditional, historical ideas and styles, and ornamentation. Modernism emphasized function, simplicity, and rationality, and created new forms of expression with a new aesthetic. This new aesthetic resulted in modern buildings characterized by clean lines, simple geometric shapes, pure cubic forms, ribbon windows, flat roofs, and functional, flexible open interior spaces with plain exposed structures that were considered appropriate for all nations and cultures.xvi
Modern architecture, it all comes to flexible features and characteristics. Now, let’s look at elements and what’s its role in designing buildings.
Essence (Form Follows Function)
This principle suggests function is the crucial objective and drives the overall form from the structure. It means that we build a particular space with the purpose, while style should always follow the function. The great example of essence is the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The architect Frank Lloyd Wright-designed this museum, which takes the shape of a ribbon getting unfolded. As people move around the gallery to see art displays, they create a line which resembles ribbon.xvii Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
It all revolves around simplicity
Simplicity is another method that makes people take an interest in modern buildings. We have to agree that simple things are quite sophisticated, and architecture is no exception. However, whether it’s an art, clothes, or buildings, simplicity can never be bored, and it’s one of the features modern architecture puts focus on.
This is one of the reasons why people fell in love with modern architecture. Additionally, clean and crisp lines also represent one of the forms of simplicity. But, they can really point out horizontal and vertical elements, as well as improve building elevation and plan. Nowadays, a lot of modern mansions and villas tend to incorporate sharp lines in their design.xviii
The use of modern materials
Concrete is the most common material used in modern architecture. On top of that, steel columns are exposed, as well as concrete floors. On the other hand, traditional materials are used in a new way. For example, bricks and stones have once again found their purpose.
You will find open-wall surfaces made of bricks and stones which can really improve the aesthetics of any room. Also, stained wood is often applied in modern architecture to expresses the texture, and provide natural character, instead of painted one. .xix Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
Less is MORE This principle explains the minimalistic approach in construction. There are no excessive ornaments; only minimal elements are used to express the functionality and aesthetics of the space. Modern architecture states that minimal and mess-free constructions provoke the feeling of simplicity, peace, and allows occupants to experience stress-free environment.xx
Barcelona Pavilion of Mies van der Rohe.
Simple forms These days, buildings tend to take shapes of the boxes, and as we mentioned before, materials can only define plain and vertical forms. They provide dynamic effect, against horizontal elements and ensure the building has a sharper look.xxi
Bauhaus, (house of building) Weimar, by Walter Gropius (1883-1969)
Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
Open plan interiors
Light filled, open plan interiors, with a feeling of spaciousness is the key element of Modernist Interiors. Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
Warren House, Beaulieu: the living room with an armchair by Robin Day
While some scholars see modernism continuing into the 21st century, others see it evolving into late modernism or high modernism.xxii Postmodernism is a departure from modernism and rejects its basic assumptionsxxiii.
The Chicago Building by Holabird & Roche (1904–1905):
This steel frame building displays both variations of the Chicago window; its facade is dominated by the window area (limiting decorative embellishments) and it is capped with a cornice, elements that are all typical of the Chicago School. Supplementary Exam Ali Wasiq Tirmizi-330
References/ Bibliography i https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernism#:~:text=A%20notable%20characteristic%20of%20modernism%20is%20self- consciousness%20concerning,and%20materials%20used%20in%20creating%20works%20of%20art. ii "Modernist architecture: 30 stunning examples". 2 September 2016 iii Graff, Gerald (Winter 1973). "The myth of the Postmodernist breakthrough". TriQuarterly. Vol. 26. pp. 383–417 iv Graff, Gerald (Spring 1975). "Babbitt at the abyss: The social context of postmodern American fiction". TriQuarterly. Vol. 33. pp. 307–337. v Childs, Peter Modernism (Routledge, 2000). ISBN 0-415-19647-7. p. 17. vi Pericles Lewis, Modernism, Nationalism, and the Novel (Cambridge University Press, 2000). pp. 38–39. vii Peter Faulkner, Modernism (Taylor & Francis, 1990). p. 60. viii Gardner, Helen; de la Croix, Horst; Tansey, Richard G.; Kirkpatrick, Diane (1991). Gardner's Art through the Ages. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. p. 953. ISBN 0-15-503770-6. ix https://www.mdc.edu/wolfson/Academic/ArtsLetters/art_philosophy/Humanities/history_of_modernism.htm x Morris Dickstein, "An Outsider to His Own Life", Books, The New York Times, August 3, 1997; Anthony Mellors, Late modernist poetics: From Pound to Prynne. xi https://www.mdc.edu/wolfson/Academic/ArtsLetters/art_philosophy/Humanities/history_of_modernism.htm xii https://www.mdc.edu/wolfson/Academic/ArtsLetters/art_philosophy/Humanities/history_of_modernism.htm xiii https://prezi.com/y5k5tcbzbzio/essence-of-modernism/ xiv https://www.mdc.edu/wolfson/Academic/ArtsLetters/art_philosophy/Humanities/history_of_modernism.htm xv https://www.commentary.org/articles/irving-howe/the-culture-of-modernism/ xvi https://study.com/academy/lesson/modernism-in-architecture-definition-history.html xvii https://www.arcaidawards.com/significant-elements-of-modern-architecture/ xviii https://www.arcaidawards.com/significant-elements-of-modern-architecture/#:~:text=Modern%20architecture %20states%20that%20minimal,to%20experience%20stress%2Dfree%20environment. xix http://www.yr-architecture.com/5-characteristics-of-modern-minimalist-house-designs/ xx http://www.yr-architecture.com/5-characteristics-of-modern-minimalist-house-designs/ xxi https://www.architecture.com/explore-architecture/modernism xxii "Postmodernism: definition of postmodernism". Oxford dictionary (American English) (US) – via oxforddictionaries.com. xxiii Ruth Reichl, Cook's November 1989; American Heritage Dictionary's definition of "postmodern"
