Hyperreality & Identity: Navigating the Postmodern Self Through Art
Postmodernism and the Fragmented Self
The Postmodern period, beginning in 1980 continues today and provides artistic perspectives that challenge the concept of reality in our media-dominated world full of consumerism and societal norms. Hyperreality & Identity investigates how modern artists depict identity formation's fragmented and performative aspects in today's digital environment. The concept of hyperreality, developed by philosopher Jean Baudrillard, demonstrates how media and simulations affect our perception of truth, and this idea resonates through pop culture expressions as well as political and personal domains. The chosen artworks reveal artists' critiques of established identity stories while expressing our societal doubts about reality versus performance and self-identity.
Cindy Sherman
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Barbara Kruger
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| Your Body is a Battleground 1989, New York, USA |
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In this artwork, Kruger examines how consumer culture influences the formation of personal identity. The sentence recontextualizes Descartes’ philosophical declaration to illustrate how Postmodernism has reduced thought and being to consumerism. The hand using the card acts like a credit transaction, implying that identity functions as both an exchange and a role-play. It is a sharp and humorous critique. The striking graphic style and clear contrast deliver an advertising effect by design. The work generates feelings of humor mixed with emotional discomfort in me. Are we consumers first and individuals second?
Kehinde Wiley
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| Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps, 2005, New York, USA |
The artist Wiley transformed Jacques-Louis David’s renowned painting by placing a young Black individual in the renowned heroic stance that Napoleon once held. He wears streetwear fashion while mounted on a flying horse that stands before a backdrop of elaborate floral patterns. Visually captivating aesthetic elements combine sharp detail work with dynamic movement and symbolic iconography conflicts. Wiley redefines historical art narratives through his artwork by questioning which individuals receive power recognition. The artwork merges traditional grandeur with contemporary self-expression to illustrate hyperreality. I experience a combination of awe and critical reflection from this artwork. The strange beauty of the backdrop demonstrates how both history and identity are constructed concepts.
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Why It Matters
Through Hyperreality & Identity we learn how Postmodern artists break down the concept of one true self. These works demonstrate how identity fragments and evolves due to external influences including gender roles, political slogans, consumer behaviors, and race. The self-reflective nature of these artists' work attracted my attention. These artists' messages demonstrate heightened relevance in today's world dominated by filters, branding strategies and online personas. Postmodern art focuses on displaying the increasingly complex nature of our questions rather than providing answers.
References
“Cindy Sherman (B. 1954) , Untitled #96 | Christie’s.” Christie’s, www.christies.com/lot/lot-cindy-sherman-untitled-96-5559186/?
“Cindy Sherman | Untitled Film Still #21 | the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1978, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/266784.
“Napoleon Leading the Army Over the Alps.” Brooklyn Museum, www.brooklynmuseum.org/objects/169803.
SisumD. “Barack Obama.” National Portrait Gallery, npg.si.edu/learn/classroom-resource/barack-obama.
Untitled (Your Body Is a Battleground) - Barbara Kruger | the Broad. www.thebroad.org/art/barbara-kruger/untitled-your-body-battleground.
Untitled (I Shop Therefore I Am) | Pinault Collection. 10 June 2023, lesoeuvres.pinaultcollection.com/en/artwork/untitled-i-shop-therefore-i-am.
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I absolutely loved this blog! I love how Barbara Kruger's "I Shop Therefore I Am" is almost identical to what a magazine would probably design its cover. The bold red and the statement grab your attention immediately. I appreciate how well you implemented philosophical ideas around these pieces as well! Additionally, I love how the political commentary on her "Your Body is a Battleground" is direct, especially in 1989 when Webster v. Reproductive Health Services further restricted abortion rights. Your blog is my favorite!! The way you covered the postmodernism identity through these pieces perfectly reflected the idea around that time, particularly how external factors heavily affected how the artists created their works. It reminds the viewer that these problems still exist! Thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThe post provided deep insights while effectively connecting hyperreality to performance and identity themes in postmodern art. Your analysis effectively demonstrated how Cindy Sherman transforms female stereotypes into performance art and how Barbara Kruger uses political messages to challenge viewers' perceptions of self. Kehinde Wiley enhances his art by reshaping historical imagery to challenge power dynamics in representation and celebration. I found your analysis of postmodern art revealing because it emphasizes questioning over answering especially relevant now when identity formation relies heavily on consumer culture as well as media and social expectations. The concept of the "self" shows constant change because external factors impact it as much as internal ones do.
ReplyDeleteThis blog was rather interesting to me! Cindy Sherman's different photographs caught my eye the most. The contrast you described between a black and white photo of her wearing more formal attire is very different from the bright colored image of her dressed far more casually. Although the same person, she really emphasizes how a person can be perceived much differently depending on how they present themselves and the environment around them. This representation of how one's perception of a person can be altered is a great example of postmodern artwork pushing against the idea of a "collective truth".
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