Discussion // Modern? Explain yourself!

^^^Symphony No. 1, Richard Pousette-Dart, and Nighthawks, Edward Hopper. Painted in the same year (1942), with vastly different themes.

Well, here it goes…in order for this blog to be successful, the parameters of the content must be established for discussion to occur; unfortunately, that requires at least a working definition of the word ‘modern.' This is not easily achieved, as hasty labeling and misplaced attribution have long muddled the precise meaning. Most interpretations tend to fall within six categories, which range from general to specific:

History & Iconography. Intertwined with such terms as “The Modern Era,” “Modernism,” and “The International Style,” the historical interpretation of ‘modern’ describes the period between 1910-1940 in Europe and 1940-1970 in the United States during which design, construction, manufacturing, and lifestyle underwent a dramatic break from tradition as a result of new philosophies and technologies. Leaders of this movement included Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe of the Bauhaus, Alvar Aalto, Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Marcel Breuer, Richard Neutra, R.M. Schindler, Ray and Charles Eames, Eero Saarinen, George Nelson, Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia, Giuseppe Terragni and Gio Ponti. “The 1929 Barcelona Pavilion is a splendid example of Modernism.”

^^^Classic Modernist interior. R. Neutra, Lovell Heath House, 1929

Chronology. Anything current or contemporary. “Have you seen that brand new modern school?”

Technology. Anything that utilizes revolutionary technology or revolutionizes an aspect of daily life through its technology. “The personal computer is a modern essential; without it, we’d still be writing with paper and pencil and doing math by hand!”

Style. Mod…Modernista…Probably the most widely-used definition, it describes the aesthetic qualities of art, music, architecture, fashion, manufactured items, or means of living that identify with contemporary trends or values and are relatively experimental or unconventional in nature. “I admire their modern, eco-friendly lifestyle,” or, “That new painting makes no visual sense; I hate modern art!”

Evolution. Advanced; ahead of the times; the most current iteration of development. “Modern accounting methods make business far more efficient.”

Philosophy. An approach to living that eschews traditionalism, encourages experimentation and accepts the evolution of the aspects of lifestyle listed above as natural and, in most cases, beneficial. “It’s amazing how modern she is compared to her husband, who is very conservative and stuck in the past.”

There is no one perfect definition, and there is no combination that is right for everyone. Choose your own and make it you. For me, ‘modern’ is a measure of quality. It must incorporate quality and taste, craft, detail, and diligence, and requires a critical assessment of possible future utilizations and interpretations. What is your ‘modern’?