Isms and Schools of thought.
What is an Ism?
- A distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, typically a political ideology or an artistic movement.
Types of isms:
Political: feminism, Communism, fashism, liberalism, racism, capitalism, socialism, anti-consumerism.
Artistic/creative: Realism, futurism, romanticism, symbolism, Cubism, impressionism, minimalism Modernism, Post-Modernism.
What to the lists of political and creative/artistic isms have in common?
They have school of thoughts...
Why do isms matter?
They matter as they help us frame a set of ideas or concepts in a way tat makes them identifiable and manageable.
The ideas in these groupies can still be complex but it allows you to think about them in a structured way that can also often be linked to particular periods of time so you can see the contact in which new ideas emerged whilst others declined.
understanding other events in the period a particular ism was at its peak can also help you understand why and how that school go thought emerged.
characteristics of particular isms?
First: examples of modernism
De Stijl
the bauhaus
American Modernism
Characteristics of Modernism -
De Stijl - 1917: Rejecting traditions. universal forms. Rational minimalism. Limited colours and square shapes. austerity and purity. pure colours for universal. no curves or extra elements. hormonal leisure. peace project, stop another war, make everything universal. Due to the time frame it is more of a reaction to WWI
The Bauhaus - 1919: Teaching method. Making the world a better place. Creating a new society. the machine is a way forward. central ideas of modernism: highest quality and craftsmanship. less is more form follows function. Work should be true to its material. Wood should be wood, steel should be steel. Form follows function. No meaningless ornamental details. Old world ended, new world started. Combination of reaction to the 1st world war and everything else.
Design for the masses took over. Typography, simple fonts. No capital letters. grids and golden sections. realism. experimental photography enhancing design work. universal, colours were not specifically linked. degenerate? 80 years later of bauhaus students being kicked out, design styles came back with ideas for the masses. designer works to make life better.
American Modernism - 1933: modernism to a wider audience through posters. not too realistic. Pollyarts projects. European modernism. simple forms were used and clear colours. silhouetted photography. radical simplified shapes. simple designs with clear understanding. dramatic lighting. simple geometry. modernism evolved in the states. get to a bigger audience. kinder and gentler touch. not literal illustrations. focuses much more on nationality. aimed for spirit in the depression.
Postmodernism - 1977 - modern day: complex subject. form does not follow function. self referential with alternative meanings. irony. vernacular design. "borrowed" and "recycled" designs styles and culture for different context. dystopian and smaller and smaller groups, no new ideas! relentless attention to written representation. representation was more important than the meaning. fro psychological point of view. friendlier and nicer. a rose is not just a rose. Example: iPod Classic - simple, looks more seductive, making people want it borrows from modern ideals and putting it more modern for a selling point. adopts modernism but is post modernism.
- A distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, typically a political ideology or an artistic movement.
Types of isms:
Political: feminism, Communism, fashism, liberalism, racism, capitalism, socialism, anti-consumerism.
Artistic/creative: Realism, futurism, romanticism, symbolism, Cubism, impressionism, minimalism Modernism, Post-Modernism.
What to the lists of political and creative/artistic isms have in common?
They have school of thoughts...
Why do isms matter?
They matter as they help us frame a set of ideas or concepts in a way tat makes them identifiable and manageable.
The ideas in these groupies can still be complex but it allows you to think about them in a structured way that can also often be linked to particular periods of time so you can see the contact in which new ideas emerged whilst others declined.
understanding other events in the period a particular ism was at its peak can also help you understand why and how that school go thought emerged.
characteristics of particular isms?
First: examples of modernism
De Stijl
the bauhaus
American Modernism
Characteristics of Modernism -
De Stijl - 1917: Rejecting traditions. universal forms. Rational minimalism. Limited colours and square shapes. austerity and purity. pure colours for universal. no curves or extra elements. hormonal leisure. peace project, stop another war, make everything universal. Due to the time frame it is more of a reaction to WWI
The Bauhaus - 1919: Teaching method. Making the world a better place. Creating a new society. the machine is a way forward. central ideas of modernism: highest quality and craftsmanship. less is more form follows function. Work should be true to its material. Wood should be wood, steel should be steel. Form follows function. No meaningless ornamental details. Old world ended, new world started. Combination of reaction to the 1st world war and everything else.
Design for the masses took over. Typography, simple fonts. No capital letters. grids and golden sections. realism. experimental photography enhancing design work. universal, colours were not specifically linked. degenerate? 80 years later of bauhaus students being kicked out, design styles came back with ideas for the masses. designer works to make life better.
American Modernism - 1933: modernism to a wider audience through posters. not too realistic. Pollyarts projects. European modernism. simple forms were used and clear colours. silhouetted photography. radical simplified shapes. simple designs with clear understanding. dramatic lighting. simple geometry. modernism evolved in the states. get to a bigger audience. kinder and gentler touch. not literal illustrations. focuses much more on nationality. aimed for spirit in the depression.
Postmodernism - 1977 - modern day: complex subject. form does not follow function. self referential with alternative meanings. irony. vernacular design. "borrowed" and "recycled" designs styles and culture for different context. dystopian and smaller and smaller groups, no new ideas! relentless attention to written representation. representation was more important than the meaning. fro psychological point of view. friendlier and nicer. a rose is not just a rose. Example: iPod Classic - simple, looks more seductive, making people want it borrows from modern ideals and putting it more modern for a selling point. adopts modernism but is post modernism.
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