WHAT IS MODERNISM?
Modernism is a movement which changes, along with culture, it slowly started to appear in the beginning of the 19th century and early 20th century. Modernism allowed the world to begin changing and the development of cities and modern industrial societies, however it was sadly then followed by the World War I.
Modernism ran through nearly everything and it inspired the forms of art, architecture, religious faith, literature, politics and social organisation, one characteristic of Modernism was self consciousness, this then inspired form, as well as the materials, techniques and processes used when creating a poem, painting and architecture.
World War I created tension and unease in society and began inspiring the artistic movement which has become simplified and started to ignore past practice, this meant Modernism was become different, ignoring or moving past simple realism in art. Because mass production had been introduced into society it began to rule modernist innovation.
Because society was beginning to expand and new materials were starting to be developed because of the new demands in industries, in building, factories, railways, hospitals, warehouses and many more, these new materials were highly demanded. Cast Iron had just been founded and was perfect for the use of large architecture, this then lead to the design of The Crystal Palace, designed by Joseph Paxton. This was an example of what Cast Iron could potentially be used for, as well as the use of glass.
It stood to remind us that we did contribute something to the pioneer efforts of the Modern Movement.
J.M. Richards (1937) Architectural review – https://www.architecture.com/Explore/Buildings/CrystalPalace.aspx – Accessed 14th Oct 2015
The Crystal Palace inspired many more architectural structures such as the Brighton Pavilion and the glass and iron vault for Paddington Station by Brunel and Wyatt.
Decades after The Crystal Palace was destroyed in a fire, in 1889 Gustav Eiffel began designing the exhibition tower for Paris, which also demand the use of the new materials, steel and Iron. The Eiffel Tower is the foremost iron-framed construction of all time, the tower’s appearance showed the era’s rejection of mainstream acceptance for the ‘Modern look’. It was criticised by some of France’s biggest artists because of it design, however it has now become a global cultural icon of France.
OVERVIEW OF MODERNISM
Modernism in its simplest definition, is modern ideas, character and practice. It describes the Modernist Movement through time and it’s far-reaching changes to Western society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Peta-Louise Krog 