Postmodern arts champions the individual perspective on truth and art above all else.
Postmodernism is all about recognizing that there is no inherent truth in the world and that all things are open to interpretation. For some, this means that virtually anything can be a truth statement, and for others this means that there is nothing in the world that is actually "real." Regardless of whether the art class is focused on studio art or art appreciation, teaching that class in a postmodern world simply require that the teacher take into account that any student's perspective on a subject may be correct, as long as she supports her assertion.
Instructions
1. Develop a curriculum that champions individual perspective as the core value driving the course. Teaching art in a modern world, as opposed to postmodern, required seeking out the elements of art that promoted social change, advocacy and progress. By comparison, teaching art in a postmodern world throws all of the modernist approaches to the side, instead seeking to appreciate the individualism present within all art. It also seeks to intentionally not subscribe meaning to particular pieces of art. As a studio course, the course should grade students' efforts rather than the actual artistic products of their efforts. As an art appreciation course, it should value their constructive input. As a course that is part studio and part art appreciation, it should value both equally.
2. Make the expression of one's students the driver of all classroom activities. Since postmodernism intentionally seeks to ascribe untainted individualism (bordering on anarchism) to things, it is imperative that the goals and ideas of the students are given extra-special weight in the class. Thus, for class discussions about postmodern art, students and the teacher should participate in constant dialogues about postmodern art. As an example of a singular daily activity for art appreciation, require that each student each day bring in one favorite image from the previous day and explain what it means to him. For studio art, one project could require students to paint blindfolded.
3. Change the location of the classroom on a consistent basis whenever feasible. Establishing a new setting for the art class will help establish the setting for postmodern art. The new setting should be chosen without any particular restriction except that the area itself is different. Create interesting ways for the students to incorporate the surroundings in their art, while also mixing in something particularly individual and seemingly random. The expression of the typical with the seemingly random will help students internalize a core concept of postmodern art: that is, when one mixes the perspective of oneself with the world, the result is always unique.
