A postmodernist, me?

Trolley, Consumer’s rest chair by Frank Schreiner

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be in London. When there, I made a point of catching some inspiration at the V&A through an exhibition called 'Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970–1990'. I was worried there would be a lot of Memphis style stuff (which I don't like), but I trusted the V&A to put on a varied show as usual. They did not disappoint.

Kunstkredit, poster by Wolfgang Weingart, Basel

As I started my graphic design studies in London just at the end of the postmodern era, this exhibition was a huge trip down memory lane for me. Especially the graphics of early issues of Emigré magazine, The Face and Wolfgang Weingart’s posters struck a chord. I was also pleased to see that my favourite artist Jenny Holzer was represented:


The biggest discovery I made at this exhibition though, was that of Bricolage. I had seen the term before but never really paid it much attention. Now I realised that based on the products I have been making over the years, I have actually been practicing some bricolage myself! I'm not sure I can label myself a bricoleur, although it amuses me to think I could then be in company with MacGyver... (!)

I'll end this postmodernist post with a quote I saw at the exhibition and which I found very interesting, being a blogger of superficial stuff:

Superficiality has depth, if understood and accepted
as the profound difficulty of human life.
Alessandro Mendini

PS. Actually, I'll end this post the way the exhibition ended. With this video by New Order, Bizarre Love Triangle :-)