Approaches to Postmodern Art-Making - Terry Barrett

This week for class we were instructed to read Approaches to Postmodern Art-Making by Terry Barrett. Barrett's article was composed of particular themes that are relevant to postmodern art-making. These themes being, escaping the confines of museums, collapsing boundaries between "high" and "low", rejecting originality, jouissance, working collaboratively, appropriating, stimulating, hybridizing, mixing media, layering, mixing codes, re-contextualizing, confronting the gaze, facing the abject, constructing identities, using narrative, and creating metaphors.

In my opinion one of the most important approaches mentioned by Barrett is the idea of escaping the confines of the museum. Barrett admits museums are an integral part of the art world but today great artwork is also found outside of museums. Breaking out of the museum setting and placing work into public settings attempts to reach a variety of audiences. Christo and Jean-Claude are two collaborative artists who escape the confines of the museum. Below is an image of one of their works, The Gates. In addition click the link below to watch a video on Christo and Jean-Claude.