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Postmodernism

Postmodernism

Movements & Styles

Postmodernism refers to a reaction against modernism. It is less a cohesive movement than an approach and attitude toward art, culture, and society. Its main characteristics include anti-authoritarianism, or refusal to recognize the authority of any single style or definition of what art should be; and the collapsing of the distinction between high culture and mass or popular culture, and between art and everyday life. Postmodern art and architecture can be also characterized by a deliberate use of earlier styles and conventions, and an eclectic mixing of different artistic and popular styles and mediums.

Featured Works

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Fargo-Moorhead Cultural Center Bridge, project, Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota, South elevation

Fargo-Moorhead Cultural Center Bridge, project, Fargo, No...

Michael Graves

1978

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Aerial perspective

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Aerial perspective

Aldo Rossi

1971

Untitled Film Still #21

Untitled Film Still #21

Cindy Sherman

1978

Watchtower

Watchtower

Sigmar Polke

1984

Campbell's Tomato Juice Box

Campbell's Tomato Juice Box

Andy Warhol

1964

Pink Panther

Pink Panther

Jeff Koons

1988

House, Northern Delaware, Preliminary study of west elevation

House, Northern Delaware, Preliminary study of west eleva...

Robert Venturi

1978

Housing, project (Elevation)

Housing, project (Elevation)

Alessandro Mendini

1971

Antigone: La Place du Nombre d'Or, Montpellier, France, Interior-court elevation

Antigone: La Place du Nombre d'Or, Montpellier, France, I...

Ricardo Bofill

c. 1978-84

French & Company, project, New York (Manhattan), New York, Facade study

French & Company, project, New York (Manhattan), New York...

Michael Graves

1978

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme IV A (Scale model, 1/4" = 1')

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme ...

Robert Venturi

1959-64

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme III B (Scale model, 1/4" = 1')

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme ...

Robert Venturi

1959-64

Feature Animation Building, Walt Disney Company, Burbank,...

Robert A. M. Stern

1991–1994

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme III A (Scale model, 1/4" = 1')

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme ...

Robert Venturi

1959–1964

Les Espaces d'Abraxas: Le Palacio, Le Théâtre, L'Arc, Marne-la-Vallée, France, Le Theatre and L'Arc: facade detail

Les Espaces d'Abraxas: Le Palacio, Le Théâtre, L'Arc, Mar...

Ricardo Bofill

1979

Lewis Thomas Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, Preliminary study of entrance and elevation

Lewis Thomas Laboratory for Molecular Biology, Princeton ...

Robert Venturi

1983

Housing, project (Elevation)

Housing, project (Elevation)

Alessandro Mendini

1971

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, View of administration entrance from below

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, View of admi...

James Stirling

1978

New York Tower project, New York, NY (Tower façade)

Ricardo Bofill

1985

Seconda Armchair

Seconda Armchair

Mario Botta

1982

The Manhattan Transcripts Project, New York, New York, Introductory panel to Episode 4: The Block

The Manhattan Transcripts Project, New York, New York, In...

Bernard Tschumi

1980

Urban Housing, Turin, Italy (Plan)

Mario Botta

1985

Les Espaces d'Abraxas: Le Palacio, Le Theatre, L'Arc Marne-la-Vallée, France (Le Palacio: elevation)

Les Espaces d'Abraxas: Le Palacio, Le Theatre, L'Arc Marn...

Ricardo Bofill

1979

Building over Motorway Project, London, England, Perspectives

Building over Motorway Project, London, England, Perspect...

Leon Krier

1969

New York Tower, project, New York, New York, Exterior perspective

New York Tower, project, New York, New York, Exterior per...

Ricardo Bofill

1985

Antigone: La Place du Nombre d'Or, Montpellier, France, Elevation

Antigone: La Place du Nombre d'Or, Montpellier, France, E...

Ricardo Bofill

c. 1978-84

Les Eschelles du Baroque Apartment Building, Paris, France, Facade detail with column

Les Eschelles du Baroque Apartment Building, Paris, Franc...

Ricardo Bofill

1987

Eclectic House Facade, project

Eclectic House Facade, project

Robert Venturi

1977

The Completion of Washington, D.C., project, Pyramid Lake as Seen from the Loggia of the White House, Washington, D.C., Perspective

The Completion of Washington, D.C., project, Pyramid Lake...

Leon Krier

1985

Study for Tea Pot (with Red Lid), project (Perspective)

Study for Tea Pot (with Red Lid), project (Perspective)

Ettore Sottsass

1973

Study for Tea Pot, project (Perspective)

Study for Tea Pot, project (Perspective)

Ettore Sottsass

1973

Beach House Project (Scale model, 1/4" = 1')

Beach House Project (Scale model, 1/4" = 1')

Robert Venturi

c. 1959

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme V (Scale model, 1/4" = 1')

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme ...

Robert Venturi

1959-64

Hanselmann House, Fort Wayne, Indiana (Scale model, 1/8" = 1')

Hanselmann House, Fort Wayne, Indiana (Scale model, 1/8" ...

Michael Graves

1967–1968

Berlin Museum with the Jewish Museum (Scale model, 1:100)

Berlin Museum with the Jewish Museum (Scale model, 1:100)

Daniel Libeskind

1989-2001

Asteroid Lamp

Asteroid Lamp

Ettore Sottsass

1968

Gordon Wu Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, Preliminary study of entrance and windows

Gordon Wu Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jers...

Robert Venturi

1981

House, Morbio Inferiore, Switzerland, Elevation

House, Morbio Inferiore, Switzerland, Elevation

Mario Botta

1986.

La Place du Nombre d'Or, Antigone, Montpellier, France, Aerial perspective

La Place du Nombre d'Or, Antigone, Montpellier, France, A...

Ricardo Bofill

c. 1978-84

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, Elevation of gallery entrance

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, Elevation of...

James Stirling

1978

Les Eschelles du Baroque Apartment Building, Paris, France, Plan study

Les Eschelles du Baroque Apartment Building, Paris, Franc...

Ricardo Bofill

1979–1985

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, Elevation of gallery entrance and perspective of canopy from below

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, Elevation of...

James Stirling

1978

City Hall, project, North Canton, Ohio, Perspective sketch

City Hall, project, North Canton, Ohio, Perspective sketch

Robert Venturi

1965

Feature Animation Building, The Walt Disney Company, Burbank, California, South elevation, preliminary study

Feature Animation Building, The Walt Disney Company, Burb...

Robert A. M. Stern

1992

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme IV B (Scale model, 1/4" = 1')

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme ...

Robert Venturi

1959-64

Aircraft Carrier City in Landscape, project, Exterior perspective

Aircraft Carrier City in Landscape, project, Exterior per...

Hans Hollein

1964

Wall House 2 (A. E. Bye House) project, Ridgefield, Conne...

John Hejduk

1973

House without Rooms, project, Aerial perspective

House without Rooms, project, Aerial perspective

Leon Krier

1972

Parc de la Villette, Paris, France (Exterior perspectives, sketch)

Parc de la Villette, Paris, France (Exterior perspectives...

Bernard Tschumi

1983

Gordon Wu Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, Preliminary study of entrance and elevation

Gordon Wu Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jers...

Robert Venturi

1981

Housing Project, Setubal, Portugal (Elevation)

Housing Project, Setubal, Portugal (Elevation)

Aldo Rossi

1976

Study for Fruit Bowl (with Grapes), project (Aerial perspective)

Study for Fruit Bowl (with Grapes), project (Aerial persp...

Ettore Sottsass

1973

The Planet as Festival: Study for Rafts for Listening to Chamber Music, project (Perspective)

The Planet as Festival: Study for Rafts for Listening to ...

Ettore Sottsass

1972–1973

Study for Fruit Bowl (with Apple), project (Aerial perspective)

Study for Fruit Bowl (with Apple), project (Aerial perspe...

Ettore Sottsass

1973

Study for Tea Pot (by Ocean with Shells), project (Perspective)

Study for Tea Pot (by Ocean with Shells), project (Perspe...

Ettore Sottsass

1973

Study for Tea Pot (in Forest Setting), project (Perspective)

Study for Tea Pot (in Forest Setting), project (Perspective)

Ettore Sottsass

1973

Urban Architecture, project, Perspective

Urban Architecture, project, Perspective

Aldo Rossi

1976

Roma Interrota, project, Campidoglio, Rome, Italy, Perspe...

Leon Krier

1977

Hypostyle House project (Axonometric)

Leon Krier

1977

The Planet as Festival: Design of a Roof to Discuss Under, project (Perspective)

The Planet as Festival: Design of a Roof to Discuss Under...

Ettore Sottsass

1972-73

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme VI (final) (Scale model, 1/4" = 1')

Vanna Venturi House, Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, Scheme ...

Robert Venturi

1959-64

Thyssen-Bornemisza Gallery, Lugano, Switzerland, Elevation

Thyssen-Bornemisza Gallery, Lugano, Switzerland, Elevation

Mario Botta

1986

New York Tower, project, New York,  New York, Plan

New York Tower, project, New York, New York, Plan

Ricardo Bofill

1985

Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, Elevation

Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, Elevation

Mario Botta

1985.

New York Tower, project, New York, New York, Arch plan and section

New York Tower, project, New York, New York, Arch plan an...

Ricardo Bofill

1985

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Plan study

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Plan study

Aldo Rossi

1972

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Plan study

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Plan study

Aldo Rossi

1971

Project for a Piece of Furniture

Project for a Piece of Furniture

Alessandro Mendini

1974

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, View of library from below

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, View of libr...

James Stirling

1978

Museum of Vulcanism, Saint-Ours-les-Roches, Auvergne, France, Exterior perspective

Museum of Vulcanism, Saint-Ours-les-Roches, Auvergne, Fra...

Hans Hollein

1994

Gotthard Bank, Lugano, Switzerland, West elevation

Gotthard Bank, Lugano, Switzerland, West elevation

Mario Botta

1985

Vacation House, project, Aspen, Colorado, Fireplace

Vacation House, project, Aspen, Colorado, Fireplace

Michael Graves

1978

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, View of the theater arch from below

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, View of the ...

James Stirling

1978

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, View of theater arch with garage entrance from below

Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, View of thea...

James Stirling

1978

Fountain House, project, Section A-A

Fountain House, project, Section A-A

Rodolfo Machado

1975

The Manhattan Transcripts Project, New York, New York, Episode 1: The Park

The Manhattan Transcripts Project, New York, New York, Ep...

Bernard Tschumi

1976-77

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Plan study

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Plan study

Aldo Rossi

1972

The Planet as Festival: Gigantic Work, Panoramic Road with View on the Irrawaddy River and the Jungle, project (Aerial perspective)

The Planet as Festival: Gigantic Work, Panoramic Road wit...

Ettore Sottsass

1972-73

The Completion of Washington, D.C., project, The Proposed Civil War Memorial and New Stylobate of Washington Monument in Pyramid Lake, Washington, D.C., Perspective

The Completion of Washington, D.C., project, The Proposed...

Leon Krier

1985

Vacation House Project, Aspen, Colorado, Elevations, interior and exterior perspectives and plan

Vacation House Project, Aspen, Colorado, Elevations, inte...

Michael Graves

1978

Aircraft Carrier City in Landscape, project, Perspective

Aircraft Carrier City in Landscape, project, Perspective

Hans Hollein

1964

Highrise Building, Theodolite, project, Perspective

Highrise Building, Theodolite, project, Perspective

Hans Hollein

1964

Terrarium Showroom, Elevations

Terrarium Showroom, Elevations

SITE

1979

Les Espaces d'Abraxas: Le Palacio, Le Theatre, L'Arc, Marne-la-Vallée, France, Le Palacio: elevation

Les Espaces d'Abraxas: Le Palacio, Le Theatre, L'Arc, Mar...

Ricardo Bofill

1979

House for Rita, project, Perspective and plan

House for Rita, project, Perspective and plan

Leon Krier

1974

Parc de la Villette Project, Paris, France (Base Plan [as Existing] and Moving Elements)

Parc de la Villette Project, Paris, France (Base Plan [as...

Zaha Hadid

1982-83

The Planet as Festival: Study for Temple for Erotic Dances, project (Aerial perspective and plan)

The Planet as Festival: Study for Temple for Erotic Dance...

Ettore Sottsass

1972–1973

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Plan

Cemetery of San Cataldo, Modena, Italy, Plan

Aldo Rossi

1971

Sit Down (Perspective)

Sit Down (Perspective)

Gaetano Pesce

1975

The Planet as Festival: Study for a Large Dispenser of Waltzes, Tangos, Rock, and Cha-Cha, project (Perspective)

The Planet as Festival: Study for a Large Dispenser of Wa...

Ettore Sottsass

1972-73