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Period: to
Modern Era
The era of modernity in Western culture. "Make it new!" -
Manet, Dejeuner sur l'Herbe
Manet's Luncheon on the Grass broke with tradition and rejected the strictures of the Academy. Among complaints against the work were the disproportionate figures, the insouciant nude female figure, and the supposed "pastiche" of different scenes (a still life, a group of figures, and a bather). Critics also considered the brushwork loose and unfinished. Manet exhibited this work in the Salon des Refuses, or Salon of the Rejects, an event held in defiance of the Academy's stranglehold on art. -
Wright, Fallingwater
A home unlike any other; perhaps the greatest residential structure in North America. Wright blended elements of pure modernism with organic approaches inspired by his time in Japan to create a home for family, friends, and harmony with its surroundings. It incorporates the natural rock and sits atop the stream, which can be heard in any room of the house. Cantilevered porches, built-in furniture, and a large hearth contribute to his vision of a space for gathering. -
Period: to
Postmodern Era
Reacting to Modernism, embracing the previous eras in unexpected or even humorous ways. -
Ono, Cut Piece
This landmark performance event was conceptualized by Yoko Ono during the FLUXUS movement of the 1960s. Viewer participation became integral to Postmodernism, and here, the audience was invited to cut pieces of Ono's clothing until she left the stage. The Museum of Modern Art explains that Cut Piece "relies upon audiences’ willingness to interpret and follow the instructions outlining their role." -
Period: to
Contemporary
Still being defined. Global, technological, and identity-based. -
Shonibare MBE, Scramble for Africa
A Nigerian-British artist and Member of the British Empire, Yinka Shonibare uses humor to depict the effects of colonialism on his native continent. By dressing the Europeans who divide Africa as spoils of war in batik fabric, he acknowledges that cultures don't exist in vacuums. The headless figures make reference to the guillotined monarchs of the French Revolution, as well as a more general statement about the thoughtlessness of such an endeavor.
