MetaModern

This book explores a new artistic movement that reinterprets modernist design, showcasing artists who critique and transform its legacy through original works in MetaModern.

Modernist design, once a radical and iconoclastic departure from tradition, has now become a relic of the past. In recent years, artists have started to view modernist designs as icons in their own right, often incorporating them into their work both literally and conceptually. This blending and reimagining of styles has given rise to a new movement known as meta-modernism, where original sources are transformed, self-referential, and abstracted. Artists from around the globe are crafting unique pieces that reflect on historical claims through the lens of contemporary complexities.

The artists featured in MetaModern, primarily born in the 1960s, challenge the veneration typically associated with classic modernism. Having not experienced the era firsthand, they critically engage with the modernist lexicon, using it to question the significance of style and its connection to history. This fresh perspective allows them to explore the nuances of modernism while simultaneously redefining its legacy.

Among the notable contributors to MetaModern are Conrad Bakker, Constantin Boym, Kendell Carter, and many others. Each artist brings their unique voice to the conversation, utilizing classic elements in innovative ways. Their works serve as commentaries on the past while navigating the intricate landscape of the present, ultimately creating a dialogue that bridges historical and contemporary art practices.