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September 30, 2011 | Forward to a colleague
Postmodernism: Style and Subversion
I like the term postmodernism. It seems to somehow suggest fun, iconoclastic playfulness and retro subversion, as opposed to the hated straight lines, form follows function orthodoxy of modernism. There is more.
 Postmodernism is a way of conveniently pulling together those richly different and now iconic films – Bladerunner, Run Lola Run, Clockwork Orange, Pulp Fiction even modern Doctor Who.
What about Art and Design?
The granddaddy of popular art is arguably the Beatles 1967 Sgt Pepper album cover. This was swiftly followed a year or two later by The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers album designed by Andy Warhol with a real zip on the cover that you can pull down to expose …pants! The fetishism of the zip and Dick Hebdige spring to mind.
Teaching Postmodernism?
 Students, however, find PoMo a very slippery concept to write about. They should visit the Victoria and Albert Museum’s new splendid exhibition Postmodernism: Style and Subversion – it really is helpful.
Link: Postmodernism Exhibition | V & A
There is no one simple definition offered. Realising the topic is huge the exhibition concentrates on two formative decades the 1970s and the 1980s.
 The show is a revealing series of ideas, artifacts, design and moving images exploring architecture, music, magazines, video, art and MTV with generous dollops of Bladerunner projected above our heads.
Top Tip - Borrow one of the large print forms of the notes, available as you go in, to use as a free catalogue. It highlights some codes and conventions useful for teaching including:
‘A key principle of PoMo is complexity and contradiction meant to resist authority… high classicism and ‘low’ popular culture were the primary ingredients of PoMo…the language of pastiche.. the evidence of bricolage, fragmentation and quotation …A key PoMo preoccupation is constructing the self through commodities.’
 Look for fascinating videos from New Order and Talking Heads and huge images of the ultimate PoMo playground Las Vegas.
Sadly, instead of the too expensive ultimate PoMo artiste Madonna, we have a tour of the origins of hiphop and the only one mistake in my view a ghastly hologram of the supremely untalented Boy George.
Andy Warhol’s giant silkscreen dollar sign is a potent and lasting symbol of all that is Pomo.
PoMo Resources?
Meanwhile if you have to take on the slippery eel of PoMo before going to the V and A consult our truly enlightening PoMo resources:
Start with An Introduction to Postmodernism which includes important theorists.
 Now download Stephen Hill’s comprehensive Postmodern Media. As usual MediaEdu has it all covered.
Relaxing from the rigours of Baudrillard and Bourdieu try An Introduction to Postmodern Media Theory.
Try our new Understanding Radio Comedy resource where Nicole Ponsford has some uber-useful case studies.
AQA, OCR & WJEC | Teaching GCSE?
MediaEdu have schemes of work and supporting resources for AQA, OCR and WJEC. Here are some highlight of what’s on offer…
Our 2012 OCR GCSE 1-Year Scheme of Work is very comprehensive indeed.
And you just can’t miss Rob Miller’s scintillating case study of the kids’ rules show Outnumbered.
Struggling with Radio Comedy? Check out Nicole Ponsford’s Understanding Radio Comedy + supporting show profiles.
Thwarted by Crime Drama? Jeremy Orlebar’s Understanding Crime Drama and Understanding Murder Mystery should give you a lead.
Scratching around for Music Industry & Website support? Understanding The Music Industry & Music Industry Websites should help you feel the vibe.
AQA, OCR & WJEC | Teaching A Levels?
 Check out Rob Miller’s TV Drama Case Study on The Tudors tailor-made for OCR AS Media Studies (H140) G322.
Alternatively, senior examiner Caroline Bagshaw gives you the low down on how to get top grades – yes really.
AQA AS Media Studies | How To Get The Top Grades
AQA A2 Media Studies | How To Get The Top Grades
Tackling Advertising with WJEC? Check out How To Analyse Advertising + an array of associated resources. See our ‘Newest Resources’ archive for further resources.
Need some Film Case Studies? The following might be of interest… Shifty, Tamara Drewe, Atonement and Fish Tank.
Teaching Film Studies?
 If you’re an experienced Film Studies teacher or a newbie, you’re sure to find something useful at FilmEdu, MediaEdu’s sister site for GCSE & A Level Film Studies.
FilmEdu launched in September and is growing fast.
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Conferences
 AQA Media Studies Conference
14th October, London
MediaMagazine Conference
4th November 2011, London
Annual Secondary Media Studies Conference 2011
4th November 2011, Southampton
What a breathless start to the term - now there’s a good PoMo film before its time Jean-Luc Godard’s 1960’s film À Bout De Souffle.
Have a great weekend. Kind regards, Jeremy Orlebar and Richard Gent
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