In the preceding chapters, we have repeatedly used the term ‘modernism’ and occasionally the term ‘postmodernism’. We have also referred to ‘structuralism’, occasionally to ‘post-structuralism’, and in particular to the ‘thinking of difference’. In this introduction, I will first elucidate the term ‘postmodernism’. Next, it will become clear that ‘poststructuralism’, which is used as an overall term for ‘postmodern thinking’, has not only brought forth the ‘thinking of difference’ (Lyotard and Derrida), but also a ‘thinking of indifference’ (Baudrillard and Jameson). This internal development will also be reflected throughout the chapter. So what does ‘postmodernism’ mean? Hegel's description of post-romantic art looks suspiciously like the present understanding of postmodernism. This is an interesting observation. And though his thesis on the end of art is mainly related to modernism, Danto emphasized that artists in the period of “art after the end of art” could try out virtually everything, reminding us of the new freedom which was so characteristic for the postmodern condition. In the above neo-Marxist discussions, we were confronted in particular with the contrast between realism and modernism. Whereas Lukács wanted to return to the realism that preceded modernism, Adorno turned into a staunch defender of modernism. Even though Adorno did not write about postmodernism as such — the term was not yet in use — his strong resistance against the culture industry and mass culture indicates that he would not have had much faith in postmodernism. In any case, it was not until after his death in 1971 that postmodernism was firmly established.
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Further Reading
For the history and clarification on the term postmodernism see:
Andreas Huyssens, ‘Mapping the postmodern’, New German Critique, 1984, No. 33 (5–52).
Ihab Hassan, ‘The Culture of Postmodernism’, Theory, Culture and Society, 1985, Vol. 2, No. 3 (119–131).
Mike Featherstone, ‘In Pursuit of the Postmodern: An Introduction’, Theory, Culture and Society, 1988, Vol. 5, No. 2 (195–215).
Lawrence E. Cahoone (Ed.), From modernism to postmodernism: an anthology, Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2003 (Orignally published in 1996).
For postmodernity as a distinct age:
Alain Touraine, The post-industrial society: tomorrow's social history: classes, conflicts and culture in the programmed society, New York: Random House, 1971.
Daniel Bell, The coming of post-Industrial society, New York: Basic Books, 1999 (Originally published in 1973).
Ernest Mandel, Late capitalism, London: NLB; Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press, 1975.
David W. Harvey, The condition of postmodernity: an enquiry into the origins of cultural change, Oxford, UK; Cambridge, MA, Blackwell, 1989.
Christopher Butler, Postmodernism: a very short introduction, Oxford, in Oxford Universiy Press, 2002.
On postmodern thought and post-structuralism in general see:
John Sturrock (Ed.), Structuralism, Oxford, UK; Malden, M: Blackwell, 2003 (Originally published in 1979).
Madan Sarup, An introductory guide to post-structuralism and postmodernism, Athens, OH: University of Georgia Press, 1993 (Originally published in 1988). Very didactic!
Alan Megill, Prophets of extremity: Nietzsche, Heidegger, Foucault, Derrida, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1985.
Hugh J. Silverman and Donn Welton (Eds.), Postmodernism and continental philosophy, Albany, NY: State University of New York, 1988.
David Caroll, Paraesthetics: Foucault, Lyotard, Derrida, London/New York, in Routledge, 1987.
Stuart Sim (Ed.), The Routledge companion to postmodernism, London/New York, Routledge, 2005 (Originally published in 2001).
Victor E. Taylor and Charles E. Winquist (Eds.), Encyclopedia of postmodernism, London/ New York: Routledge, 2001. Very useful!
Michael Drolet (Ed.), The Postmodernism reader. Foundational texts, London/New York: Routledge, 2004.
Some basic works on postmodernism in art and culture:
Hal Foster (Ed.), The anti-Aesthetic: essays on post-modern Culture, New York: New Press, 2002 (Originally published in 1983).
Ihab Hassan, The postmodern turn: essays in postmodern theory and culture, Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press, 1987.
Hugh J. Silverman (Ed.), Postmodernism. Philosophy and the arts, London and New York: Routledge, 1990.
Fredric Jameson, Postmodernism, or, the cultural logic of late capitalism, Durham: Duke University Press, 1991.
Hans Belting, Art history after modernism, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2003.
For classical references in architecture and philosophy are:
Charles Jencks, The language of post-modern architecture, New York: Rizzoli, 1991 (Originally published in 1977). Most recent edition: New paradigm in architecture: the language of postmodern architecture, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002.
Jean-François Lyotard, The postmodern condition: a report on knowledge, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, 1999.
Further works by Lyotard relevant to this chapter:
Jean-François Lyotard (with Jean-Loup Thébaud), Just Gaming, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1985.
Jean-François Lyotard, The differend: phrases in dispute, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1988.
Jean-François Lyotard, The inhuman: reflections on time, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1991.
Jean-François Lyotard, Libidinal economy, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1993.
Jean-François Lyotard, The postmodern explained, Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1993.
Jean-François Lyotard, Enthusiasm. The Kantian critique of history, Stanford: Stanford University Press, CA: 2009.
On Lyotard see:
Axel Honneth, ‘An Aversion Against the Universal: A Commentary on Lyotard's Postmodern Condition’, Theory, Culture and Society, 1985, Vol. 2, No. 3 (147–156). Very critical article.
Willem Van Reijen and Dick Veerman, ‘An Interview with Jean-Francois Lyotard’, Theory, Culture and Society, 1988, Vol. 5, No. 2 (277–309). A key interview.
Geoff Bennington, Lyotard: writing the event, New York: Columbia: Press, 1988. A standard work.
Andrew Benjamin (Ed.), The Lyotard reader, Oxford, UK and Cambridge, MA: Blackwell, 1989. Indispensable for teachers!
Andrew Benjamin (ed.), Judging Lyotard, London/New York: Routledge, 1992. The best anthology on Lyotard! Though reading.
In relation to the postmodernism debate read:
Jürgen Habermas, ‘Modernity versus Postmodernity’, New German Critique, 1981, No. 22 (3–13).
Richard Rorty, ‘Habermas and Lyotard on post-modernity’, Praxis International, 1984, Vol. 4, No.1 (32–44).
Emilia Steuerman, ‘Habermas versus Lyotard: Modernity versus Postmodernity’ in A. Benjamin, Judging Lyotard (see above) 99–119.
Important publications by Derrida relevant to this chapter:
Jacques Derrida, Margins of philosophy, Chicago: University of Chicago, 1982.
Jacques Derrida, Dissemination, London, Athlone Press; Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1981.
Jacques Derrida, Of grammatology, Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002 (Originally published in 1976).
For introductions to the philosophy of Derrida see:
Geoff Bennington and Jacques Derrida, Derrida, Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1993. A very interesting reconstruction of the main lines of Derrida's path of thinking, accompanied by a text by Derrida.
Peggy Kamuf (ed.), A Derrida reader: between the blinds, New York: Columbia University Press, 1991. (The most important anthology of Derrida in English!).
Chistopher Norris, Jacques Derrida, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1988. (Undoubtedly one of the most solid and clear introductions).
Niall Lucy, A Derrida dictionary, Malden: MA, Blackwell, 2004.
Erik Oger, Derrida, Kapellen: Pelckmans; Kampen: Klement, 2005 (In Dutch. Originally published 1995).
On the thinking of difference:
Jacques Derrida, ’Différance’, in his: Margins of philosophy (see above) 1–27.
Martin Heidegger, ‘Anaximander's Saying’, in: Martin Heidegger, Off the beaten track, London/ Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2002 (242–281).
For aesthetics and Derrida's influence on art see:
Jacques Derrida, The truth in painting, Chicago, IL: Chicago University Press, 1987. This is Derrida's most important book on the philosophy of art. Not suitable for beginners.
Peter Brunette and David Wills (Eds.), Deconstruction and the visual arts; art, media, architecture, Cambridge, UK and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994. Excellent anthology, bringing together a valuable series of contributions from very diverse disciplines, such as aesthetics, art history and art criticism, film and television studies, architecture.
Paul Duro (Ed.), The rhetoric of the frame. Essays on the boundaries of the artwork, Cambridge, UK and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Very stimulating anthology, inspired by Derrida's ideas on the parergon.
Publications by Baudrillard relevant to this chapter:
Jean Baudrillard, The consumer society: myths and structures, London/Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1998.
Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and simulations, Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press, 1997.
Jean Baudrillard, Symbolic exchange and death, London/Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1993.
Jean Baudrillard, Fatal strategies, London: Pluto; New York: Semiotext(e), 1990.
Jean Baudrillard, Seduction, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990.
Jean Baudrillard, For a critique of the political economy of the sign, St. Louis, MO: Telos Press, 1981.
On Baudrillard see:
Douglas Kellner, J. Baudrillard: from marxism to postmodernism and beyond, Stanford: CA: Stanford University Press, 1989.
Mik Gane, Baudrillard: critical theory and fatal theory, London/ New York, Routledge, 1991.
Douglas Kellner (Ed.), Baudrillard: a critical reader, Cambridge, MA/Oxford: Blackwell, 1994. Comprehensive anthology that gives a good idea of the Baudrillard reception in the US and the UK.
For video and MTV see:
Ann E. Kaplan, Rocking around the clock: music television, postmodernism and consumer Culture, London/New York, in Routledge, 1987.
Simon Frith, Andrew Goodwin and Lawrence Grossberg (eds.), Sound and vision: the music video reader, London/New York, in Routledge, 1993.
Steve Reiss, Neill Feineman, Michael Stipe and Jeff Ayeroff, Thirty frames per second: the vision ary art of the music video, New York, in Harry N. Abrams, 2000.
Kevin Williams, Why I (still) want my MTV: music video and aesthetic communication, Cresskill, N.J.: Hampton Press, 2003.
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(2009). The Post-structuralist Perspective. In: Thinking Art. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5638-3_11
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