Postmodern art and the difficulty to define
Postmodern art proves difficult to define for several reasons. Among those are the differences between the broader distinctions of contemporary art as it relates to the more specific, what genres of art are included in this more specific term and, most cumbersome, the relative inability to specify exactly what postmodernism, in general, truly entails. In any case, one of the best, and most basic understandings of this somewhat vague term, is that it truly is post-modern, or, to spell it out truly, after modernism; which gives us not only a better understanding, but a clearer starting point in the pursuit of that understanding.
There must withstand a clear distinction between the difference of contemporary and postmodern art. The main reason for this distinction is that some disagree that we truly are in a stage after modernism, thus making the art produced not so much in disregard or contradictory to Modern art, but rather an extension or possibly a subgenre of that. Many subgenres fall under the classification of Modern art including impressionism, surrealism, cubism, pop and abstract art. Therefore, some think that postmodern art is not really its own distinct art form, but rather a subgenre of the larger context of Modern art.
When dissecting the idea of postmodern art we must keep in mind the clear distinctive characteristics included in the formation of an entirely different form of art. In other words, we must be able to understand what distinguishes this genre of art from any other. As listed above, Modern art includes many different subgenres that give better definition, character and understanding to the actual, larger genre. However, when trying to separate art into categories of time, influence and style, there will usually always be some sort of discrepancy. In this case, what some see as clearly Modernist art, such as Cubism, Pop and Abstract, other see as Postmodern, or at least precursors to that movement. The difficulty in defining this genre of art comes from the confusion of what forms and influences get included.
In general, in order to understand this movement, one must pay clear attention to the name, in order to get the best understanding and definition of what Postmodernism truly entails. Though the continual persistence of the relativity of definitions largely adopted within the postmodern mindset, it is helpful to think in terms of after Modernism. Most agree that it truly is a movement that both arises from and simultaneously reacts against its predecessor.
