The Postmodern Movement is characterized by a period of skepticism and cultural criticism applied to areas such as philosophy, the arts and architecture.  Postmodernism functions without the type of structure and certainty that modernism was engrained in; it permits a sense of creativity and a dependence on irony to generate novel works that interact with popular culture .  The postmodern movement came into full swing following the failings of modernism and its attempt to structure society with specific theories (i.e. manifesting in politics and religion). The modernist theories did not align with the base structure of Marxist thought, which intended to bring society together in an objective way, trusting that reason would deliver us to a more structured society. These ideas attempted to explain reality in a unified way with a false sense of certainty and were accepted as true under the backing of science.  Postmodernism challenged these truths by averting itself from the modernist norms and placing emphasis on subjectivism. It can be thought of as a critique of the Modern Movement; it shifts away from limited social constructs and refutes realism, while highlighting individual differences and the proliferation of the self. The postmodern era deviates from the modernist view of trusting in an autonomous and rational subject and instead finds relation in that subject and characterizes it. By challenging order and linear narratives, postmodernism questions the nature of reality, conveying situations as surreal and changing expression of thought.

Although the date of the beginning of postmodernism is highly debated, many authors point to the late 20th century. Jameson refers to postmodernism as a “periodizing concept” intended to develop new features in wake of the multinational capitalism. Another historical factor that influenced the birth of postmodernism was the technological advancements associated with the digital age. As digital photography and film became available for mass use, a focus on artistic realism declined. Cameras took away the burden of attempting to represent reality meticulously. Hence, postmodernism sparked a complete shift towards surrealism. Jean-Francois Lyotard refers to the period of postmodernism as a “moment of relaxation” while the progressive ideas and values associated with modernism are questioned. A key element of the postmodern spirit is the idea of questioning or doubting everything that is manifested in the philosophical movement of modernism. Therefore, an essential part of postmodernism is modernism itself, and the period cannot be explained without regard to it. Lyotard makes three points in defining the meaning of ‘post’. He contrasts these two periods by first discussing architecture, stating that the postmodern style contrasts with the modern one, which solely focused on expressionism and functionalism to intentionally create a structure with a specific statement. Postmodern architecture is inherited from modernity (post being defined as a succession), taking different elements from past styles and collaging them together to create something unique. It takes a new approach to art by combining various elements disjoined from a narrative. Lyotard aims to define postmodernism as a rejection of the metanarratives, which attempt to ground the human experience in rules and structure. He refutes realism because not all individuals experience things in a uniform way. Although the metanarratives attempted to promote objectivism, they were inherently subjective since they made people attempt to see the world in a specific way. The postmodern view states that rather than using pre-established rules to create work, people should let the art look for rules and create order from the disorder.
