These two terms that are used almost interchangeably have shaped what we see in design and art today. Let us breakdown the two and understand the appropriate ways to use them.
According to Victoria and Albert Museum (London, 2022), Modernism was not conceived as a style but a loose collection of ideas. It was a term that covered a range of movements in art, architecture, design and literature, which largely rejected the styles that came before it. The methodology flourished in Germany and Holland, as well as in Moscow, Paris, Prague and New York and was prominent in the years between the World Wars.
This movement that flourished from late 1800s to mid 1900s was fueled by Socio-political (also philosophical) and technology changes. With old and new money clashing, new systems of government springing from mostly monarchial and feudal ways, and new ideas or philosophy sweeping through the world, there was an increasing demand to build more houses, change the way people do business, and gain new perspective in life and way to view self.
Tackling economic inequality became central to the Modernist agenda and many architects devoted their energies to housing. Affordable housing was one of the most urgent needs of the inter-war period. Designers and architects such as Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Erich Mendelsohn, and Walter Gropius developed model housing estates in an attempt to resolve the housing crisis.
Victoria and Albert Museum (London, 2022)
Technology presented new possibilities in art and design. Suddenly there is advent of industrial steel, plastic, and glass which are virtually unheard of in visual arts before that time. The house could be a 'machine for living in' and This object—be it a poem, art, or building - would not simply adorn life but “organize it.” (Lissitzky and Ehrenburg 1922 Vashch)
So what does Modernism looked like? Modern movement was inspired by the technology, factories, practicality, and usefulness. Small tweaks from the very busy or ornate Baroque and Rococo to simple and refined Renaissance (14 to 17th century) turned to clean, simple, sleek lines devoid of any frills, ornamentation or embellishments like moldings and trims. Overall, the guiding principle is functionality.
Hayward Gallery in London (1960s)
Form follows Function. Louis H. Sullivan in 1896
Contemporary literally translates to "the now" or the present time. According to LUCIA TONELLI and SARA TARDIFF of Elle Decor, unlike modern design, contemporary design doesn't refer to a specific period of time—it's constantly evolving to reflect the popular styles of present-day design. It borrows qualities from modernism, minimalism, Art Deco, and other global styles, without hyper-focusing on any one in particular.
This makes the two styles almost hard to distinguish in terms of form or aesthetics but as a guiding rule: Modernism is rooted in functionality and the period of late 1800s to mid 1900s, while contemporary is what we see being created now. For instance, looking at a house with no baseboards or crown moldings, we generally think it could be modern but in fact it is very much contemporary. The form is inspired by modern but the current is a result of current refined finishes, shadow molds or groves that define the volumes, and even sensibilities and ornamentation that are very contemporary.
This means contemporary art and design could borrow from traditional styles that came before the Modern Movement. Take this all-white from wall to trim work creation (photo bellow), walls in French paneling and brass fixture inspired by Art Deco - Contemporary is a hodgepodge of borrowed styles all ironed to a certain look that is pleasing to the current.
In Tate Triennial 2009, Nicolas Bourriaud coined the term Altermodern, from alternative + Modernism. Altermodern is against cultural standardization and massification, but also opposed to nationalisms and cultural relativism. This is a response to the overly industrial and standardized box that modern movement created and a merge of contemporary art and design sensibilities. Bourriaud adds, Altermodern is ‘docufictional’ in that it explores the past and the present to create original paths where boundaries between fiction and documentary are blurred. And this is true in the design practices we see now where we try to create a new sense of Modernism that isn't exactly Modern, it is very individualistic and in several cases faux finished.
For instance, the brutalist concrete finish of the 1960s Hayward Gallery in London or even our local Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila is genuinely the concrete finish and left raw for their functionality. While the industrial styles of this day are mostly plaster with faux bolt holes and groves, copying the precast concrete panels.
We see the same in villas in provincial settings opting to create a fictional environment from other times and places, whether Balinese resort, French chateau, or American cabin woods - all located in a tropical country like Philippines. They are contemporary alternatives to the real ones and all individualized from layout, decors, plants, or an eclectic selection of furnishing preferred by the user or client.
This is where we pick up our design mantra: "Form follows Meaning"
Form follows function, but moreover, function follows meaning. Good design responds to people and the environment. A project should not only function smoothly, look good, or be properly styled, but should have meaning to us
Homes should reflect real people, not things, their archives, personality, memories, and lifestyle; in a way that invites engagement with things and people creating new meanings.
REFERENCES
Victoria and Albert Museum, London. “What Was Modernism?.” 2022. https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/what-was-modernism
Alexander, C., Ishikawa, S., Silverstein, M., Jacobson, M., Fiksdahl-King, I., & Shlomo, A. (1977). A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. Oxford University Press, USA.
Bourriaud, N. (2008). Altermodern explained: manifesto. Altermodern: Tate Triennial, www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/altermodern/altermodern -explain-altermodern/altermodern-explained. Accessed 01 December 2020.
Foster, Hal. (2004). An Archival Impulse. October. 110. 3-22. 10. doi: 1162/0162287042379847.
Harper, B. (2020). OPINION: How Important Is The Preservation And Restoration Of Historic Landmarks In The Philippines?. In Philippine Tatler, April 15, 2020. Retrieved from https://ph.asiatatler.com/life/opinion-how-important-is-the- preservation-and-restoration-of-historic-landmarks
Kohlstedt, K. (2018). Machines Living in: Le Corbusier’s Pivotal Five Points Architecture, 99% Invisible, February 19, 2018. Retrieved from https://99percentinvisible.org/article/machines-living-le-cobusiers-pivotal-five-points-architecture
Dejtiar, F. (2018). Etymology in Architecture: Tracing the Language of Design to its Roots, translated by Ella CombergArchdaily, July 30, 2018. Retrieved from https://www.archdaily.com/898648/etymology-in-architecture-tracing-the-language-of-design-to-its-roots
Norman, D. (2004a). EPILOGUE: WE ARE ALL DESIGNERS.
Sullivan, L. H. (1896). The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered. Getty Research Institute Open Library Edition, Added 2011-02-01 19:13:31. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/tallofficebuildi00sull The tall office building artistically considered
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