HIT: postmodern

[Vona Genelle Van Cleef <vona@TENET.EDU>]

Just a few replies on this one, but here they are:

M. Hunt of Hephzibah, GA wrote about a Miami architect of the 50s who is
considered the Father of Post Modernism . . . .

Gary D. Connor of Pecos, TX, writes, "I've always understood that
'modern' refers to works of literature and art dating from around the
turn of the century until WWII. 'Postmodern' seems to refer to everything
since . . . ."

Joanne Proctor, Topeka, KS: "In art, at least, according to H.W. Janson
in _A History of Art for Young People_ postmodern art is the term used
for art after 1980. He says that basically means 'contemporary.'
Modernism began in the early 1900s.

S. Peckham, Omaha, NE: "My husband is an English prof with a doctorate in
Rhetoric. Modernism and post-modernism comes into the conversation
daily-- I'm not an expert, but modernism goes way back to Descartes and
has to do with the philosophy that art stands on its own, that there are
ultimate 'truths' (with a capital 'T'), God, etc. Literature would be
interpreted in a 'modern' fashion by analysing it outside of social context.

"Post-modernism started in the 1930s, but was really accepted in the
1960s. Apparently there is an Arab writer by the name of Said who was
important in the thinking. Anyway, post-modernists believe that
everything important is interconnected to the times and the culture-- all
art, religion, etc., must be understood within the context of history,
class, culture, etc. There are no absolutes-- right and wrong, good and
bad, etc. I know my husband spends a lot of time with his grad students
discussing this issue. Hope this helped a bit."

Thanks, everybody! Seems to be a wide range of definition here depending
on context. Another thought-- perhaps the modern age is from the
Industrial Revolution to WWII and postmodern is the computer/information
age which began with WWII?

And Anna Sloan in Guam says, "What about taking on "deconstructionism" next?
Any takers?

Vona Van Cleef, librarian, LBJ Elementary, El Paso, TX