Portfolio Task 2 - Summary of text

Here is the summary of pages 125 - 129 of "Art In Theory: 1900-90" by C. Harrison.

In the begginning of the 20th century there was an attempt to create a new type of art which took elements from traditional styles but would stand out in the new century. One thing that stood out in the new century was the idea of expression. Expression was important for art because it created an individuality and a representation of the 'self' of the artist.

The avante garde style of art spread accross Europe, starting most prominently in France. It crossed german-speaking parts of europe and later hit Italy and then Russia. By the first world war Expressionism, Cubism and Futurism represented Europes avante garde reception to the modern world.

There are three main parts to mark the modern world; Modernization, Modernity and Modernism. Modernization is the term given to the technological and scientific progression which changed the world into the modern. It can be easily understood as the evolution of the machine, most notably the internal combustion engine. Modernity can be undertood as an individuals or a societys change as a result of Modernization. It is a concious awareness and reaction to modernization and the character that someone is given as a result. Modernism is then the representation of Modernity. If Modernity is an individual consciousness of the changing world then Modernism is the individual physically representing that consciousness.

There were generally two reactions to the modern which stood out, the first of which was a strong pessimism. Many thought that the machine was increasingly controlling human life and trapping the essence of humanity. The other was extreme exhilaration at the prospect of the modern world and the idea of development being extremely positive. Although opposites, both are still reactions and responses to Modernization and Modernity.

In fact there another important reaction which went deeper than the two above to understand why the modern world is what it is. It was a reaction which realised that Modernization, although visibly fueled by machinery and technology, was actually about difference in classes and the relationships between those classes. People began to realise that the working class held the capitalist world together even though they were almost always worse off for it. The ideology of socialism grew and spread and before long there was demand that art should be used to change modernity and to improve the social world.

Harrison, C and Wood, P. (eds.) (1997) 'Art In Theory: 1900-90', Oxford, Blackwell, pp. 125-9.