284
PARTISAN REVIEW
That would be a depressing paradigm for the end of this century, but
while post-modernism-if indeed it exists-continues to dominate the
most visible painting, sculpture, photography, video, and installation art in
1996, post-modernism in architecture is a thing of the past, as circum–
scribed and defined as orthodox Modern Movement architecture.
It
has
had a salutary effect, however, provoking a vigorous, inventive reconsider–
ation of modernism and even of neo-classicism among some of the most
interesting of current practitioners. Unlike the joke-loving post-mod–
ernists or the severe, high-minded heirs of the Modern Movement, these
architects often strive for lyricism and sensuality, or expressionism and
tension, in both forms and materials, within a modernist vocabulary. It is
ironic-a characteristic of our age, it seems-that they are seen to be doing
something worthwhile and new by re-exploring modernism, while pre–
sent-day painters and sculptors who adhere to modernist ideals are usually
ignored or dismissed as hopelessly out of date. Richter's brand of concep–
tualized, detached abstraction is considered innovative; serious, "felt"
abstract painting is considered old-fashioned. There are plenty of old-fash–
ioned artists around, many of them first-rate, working seriously and with
great determination, although you won't see their work in the salon of the
1990s, the Whitney Biennial, or in modish galleries. In their opposition to
the novelty and cynicism demanded of "official" art of 1996, these under–
ground artists constitute a new avant-garde. We can only await with
curiosity what the millennium will bring.
Igor Webb:
Thank you, Karen. We
will
now hear from Steven Marcus. He
is the George Delacorte Professor in the Humanities at Columbia
University and the Associate Editor of
Partisan Review.
He will be dis–
cussing "Utopias and Dystopias at the End of the Centuries." Afterwards
we will discuss the panelists' papers.
Steven Marcus:
I should like to begin with a favorite passage, which also
possesses the supplementary advantage of being well-known.
"The rule is,jam to-morrow and jam yesterday-but never jam
to–
day."
"It
must
come sometimes to 'jam to-day,'" Alice objected.
"No, it can't," said the Queen. "It's jam every other day: to-day
isn't any
other
day, you know."
"I don't understand you," said Alice. "It's dreadfully confusing!"
"That's the effect of living backwards," the Queen said kindly: "it
always makes one a little giddy at first-"
"Living backwards!" Alice repeated in great astonishment. "I never
heard of such a thing!"
