Page 8 - Art Giants Issue of World of Art WOA Contemporary Art Magazine.

The postmodern condition, with its deconstruction of
traditional hierarchies and definitions, celebrates art’s fluid
and subjective essence. Artists like Andy Warhol, who
blurred lines between high and low culture, exemplify this
subversion. Warhol’s use of commercial imagery in works like
the iconic Campbell’s Soup Cans redefined artistic norms and
REDEFINING VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS celebrated everyday life. In essence, recognizing art as the
creation of those who make it invites us to rethink our
Art’s existence as an independent entity has long been a perceptions, exploring the myriad ways art can be
cornerstone in art criticism. However, embracing the notion understood and experienced. This assertion challenges our
that art is inherently a creation of its artist opens up a conventional definitions, encouraging a deeper appreciation
provocative discourse that challenges conventional wisdom. for the diverse, dynamic nature of contemporary art.
This viewpoint shifts the focus from the artwork itself to the Furthermore, postmodern art often engages in self-
artistic process and the individual behind it, fundamentally referentiality and parody, using irony and pastiche to critique
altering our understanding of what constitutes art. the very systems that define and validate art. This approach
Historically, art has been perceived as a physical object or can be seen in the works of artists like Cindy Sherman,
visual representation with an existence distinct from its whose photographic series “Untitled Film Stills” deconstructs
creator. Yet, recognizing art as a creation by the artist stereotypes and conventions of female representation in
presents it as a dynamic, ever-evolving practice. This shift media. By adopting various personas and styles, Sherman
redefines art as an evolving creative journey rather than a exposes the constructed nature of identity and the fluidity of
fixed entity meaning in art.

This perspective aligns with institutional critique, a movement The idea that art exists in a state of constant flux aligns with
questioning the power dynamics within the art world. the postmodern emphasis on process over product. Art is
Pioneers like Marcel Duchamp with his ready-mades, and seen not as a finished object but as an ongoing dialogue
subsequent conceptual artists, have shown how designating between the artist, the artwork, and the audience. This
something as ”art” often depends on its context within dynamic interaction allows for multiple interpretations and
galleries and museums. By affirming that art is what artists recontextualizations, reflecting the diverse and ever-changing
make of it, we honor the artist’s role in bestowing meaning nature of contemporary society. The claim that art as creation
and value on an object, moving beyond mere institutional is a commentary on the postmodern condition highlights the
validation. Contemporary art embraces the idea that an fluid and multifaceted nature of art. It challenges us to
artwork’s meaning is not fixed but shaped by viewers’ embrace the plurality of meanings and the deconstruction of
interpretations and cultural contexts. Artists emphasize art’s traditional hierarchies, recognizing that art is an evolving
experiential and participatory nature, where the audience practice that resists fixed definitions. By understanding art as
co-creates the artwork’s significance. This approach a process of continual reinterpretation, we can appreciate its
challenges traditional hierarchies between artist and viewer, capacity to reflect and engage with the complexities of the
positioning art as a collaborative endeavor. modern world.

The statement “art as creation” serves as a catalyst for
Postmodernist thought, rejecting grand narratives and
deeper inquiry into the nature of art. It invites us to question
embracing diversity, resonates with the idea that art cannot
the established norms and to explore the myriad ways in
be confined to a singular definition. Art exists in a perpetual
which art can be understood and experienced. In the
state of flux, open to reinterpretation and recontextualization.
contemporary art world, where boundaries are continually
This viewpoint encourages us to see art as a multifaceted
pushed and redefined, such a provocative assertion is not a
phenomenon shaped by diverse experiences and
denial of art’s existence but a call to expand our
perspectives of artists and viewers. Viewing art as a creation
understanding of what art can be. This perspective
also critiques institutional and commercial frameworks. It
encourages us to move beyond traditional definitions and
underscores the artist’s vision and conceptual foundations
categories that have long dominated the art world. By viewing
over market-driven values, questioning how objects are
art as a creation, we recognize the fluidity and diversity
deemed worthy of being called “art.” This perspective
inherent in artistic expression. This approach allows for a
promotes a more inclusive and dynamic understanding of art.
more inclusive understanding of art, one that embraces a

8 WORLD of ART