In the world of art, you can find an abundance of art styles and movements. It is no wonder that many unprepared minds can easily get lost in the forest of art genres. By far, the most confusing thing, though, is the relationship between modern art and postmodern art.

Either because of historical closeness or the same word root, these two terms are frequently confused and thus misinterpreted. This alone would not be a problem if only the words were not so sharply different in meaning. Let’s look at the dramatic difference existing between these two art phenomena.

The dramatic difference between modern art and postmodern art

Where it all began?

The most distinct and yet not the most crucial difference lies on the surface — it is the period when two art movements were or are relevant. For modern art, it is a time period from approximately the 1860s to the 1960s. As for postmodern art, it has been evolving since 1960, which means that postmodernism is alive and kicking. 

The mindset of the generation

While postmodern art has found its niche side-by-side with contemporary art, the modern period, in its turn, was by far the most ambiguous in terms of history. This so-called modernization era is full of twists and turns. On the one hand, this is the time of some of the bloodiest wars in the history of humanity. On the other hand, people reaped the fruits of the renascence and industrial revolutions. Here is the crux: the mindset of modern artists is based on the rapid evolution and advancement, while postmodern creators exist on a whole different level. 

The idea and truth

Postmodernism can be described with one word – deconstruction. The deconstruction of idea and reality is the cornerstone of the movement. The purpose is to challenge and question all the established standards in art, modernism in particular. Though it is a continuation of modern art, postmodern art remains to be non-conformal, destructive, and nihilistic. Different means of seeking the truth is what makes these two movements so dramatically different.