Post Modernism

 The Modernist movement came to an end because of the oil embargo in the Middle East. This caused a global recession and a sense of lost hope and optimism in the movement. After this fall was a time of an almost eclectic attitude of gathering all that one could. Post Modernism was a revolt against the rationality and simplicity of the Modernist movement, similar to how the Arts and Crafts movement was against the Victorian Style. 


Furniture during this time was designed for communication and statements rather than functionality. This was mainly done by the designers taking part in the Memphis Movement. They wanted to get rid of the ideas of modernism and looked to an eclectic style of design instead. The designers enjoyed creating statements rather than functionality and did so by using bright colors and the distortion of scale. The Memphis movement took a lot of inspiration from Art Deco. Below are a few examples of furniture and spaces that were created as a part of this smaller movement. 






One Step Further:

I personally do not really like the ideas or the style of the Memphis Movement. Color in a space is important but I think a lot of the designs from the movement are overpowering and overly-busy. Because of this, Richard Meier's work stood out to me. His consideration of the site while merging interior and exterior spaces is interesting. I appreciate his use of white. While I think some more color could be added, at least for the interiors, I think he does a good job of using it to define the spaces and provide clarity. Just by comparing the spaces above (for the Memphis Movement) to the ones below there is no confusion of space. Meier's spaces are clean and crisp but they are not cold. They do not overpower but allow for the occupants to look out and engage with the exterior. 







Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 18, 2021 at 7:02 AM

    Kelly,
    I liked how you discussed Post Modernism and their use of color and how it can be off putting. I agree, that this era did focus a lot on color and ornamentation and it seemed to make more of a mess than a functional space. I liked how you talked about Richard Meier and his works, since they are less intense than pieces from the Memphis Movement. Overall, great job!!

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  2. Erica GonzalezApril 18, 2021 at 7:38 PM

    You had a great blog about Post Modernism. I do agree that the Memphis movement had an intense use of color within the space. It's a lot going on and can be a bit too much for the eye. Personally, I wouldn't be able to be in that space for a long period of time or else I may get a headache lol. Overall, great post!

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  3. Professor VanderNoordaaApril 19, 2021 at 7:17 AM

    Kelly- I appreciate you summarizing the historical information concerning the oil embargo in the Middle East and how this changed the world. Recession and other factors caused a reaction in the design world. I totally agree that the Memphis movement was a bit much and more of a statement then pleasing design. Richard Meier was a great architect for highlight for this design period.

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