Universality, the concept I presented in my Art Theory and Criticism course, continues to pique my interest. For my final paper, I proposed exploring universality through the lens of the anti-postmodern theory of art. This theory of art groups together several art movements that reject various aspects of the postmodern art movement.

The postmodern art movement emphasizes subjectivity and relativity – undermining the pursuit for objective truth and universal meaning in art. While prioritizing political and social commentary over aesthetic considerations, postmodern art highlights identity-based issues. There is a focus on grand-narrative deconstruction and the conceptual in postmodern art that often leaves out formalistic concerns. By challenging the very definition of art, postmodernism asserts that everything can be art, and I wonder if art loses its meaning. If everything is art, nothing is art.

Increasingly, I find postmodern art inaccessible in its academic density and therefore catering to an intellectual elite. Postmodern art is often ironic and depends heavily on a narrow viewer interpretation. Postmodern art is also more commercial in its embrace of consumer culture.

The alternative perspectives I am interested in exploring are: Modernism, High Formalism, Essentialism, Transavategarde, and New Sincerity. I value the agency of the artist and the intrinsic value of the creative process. Universality offers ambiguity that allows for multiple interpretations and leaves room for us to appreciate beauty. I am interested in the many common denominators of human experience.

As I start to make art again, I feel burdened by the enormous social pressure to “say something,” to take a political stance, and to make my art all about my identity. I want to resist these pressures and other pressures to validate myself by being able to sell my artwork. I want to be free to follow what pulls me formally and to return to sincere art in my own work. I believe that maintaining artistic autonomy allows artists to shape their own narratives and challenge conventions through their own visions and emotional expressions. These genuine, untethered narratives, emotional expressions, and aesthetic appeal in turn are more universally resonant.