Here Lies Progress

R.I.P.
here lies
progress
How postmodern
aesthetics have laid
modernity to rest
Edited by
Claudia Drozda
e University of Technology, Sydney Publishing Group
November, 2012
Vol.1 Issue .1
Here Lies Progress

How postmodern aesthetics
have laid modernity to rest
Edited by
Claudia Drozda
e University of Technology, Sydney Publishing Group
First published in 2012 by The University of Technology, Sydney Publishing Group.

Copyright 2012, Aljaliely, Drozda, Goldberg, Hamid, Risman.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted
by any form or means without the written permission of both the copyright owners and the
above publisher of the book.
Every effort has been made to contact or trace all copyright holders. The publisher will be
pleased to rectify any mistak brought to their attention at the earliest opportunity.
The University of Technology, Sydney Publishing Group,
15 Broadway,
Ultimo 2007,
NSW,
Australia.
Phone: (02) 9514 2000

Email: contact@utspublishing.com.au
Web: utspublishing.com.au
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library of Australia.
ISBN 111-1-111-11111-1
Contents
Preface
Chapter One:
Bansky and The Postmodern
Mystery
Chapter Two:
Punch for Punch Line: The Battle
Between Advertising and Street Art
with Modern Fists and Postmodern
Swings
Chapter Three:
Lady Gaga: See it Through Artpop
17
Chapter Four:
Presentation Progress: A Study of
Postmodern Cinema in Relation to
Modern Society
21
Chapter Five:
Until Death We Will Part From
Death at the Start: Tradition to
Postmodern
28
List of Contributors
33
Preface
In a world where life appears to lack meaning, society looks to the media and to art to
construct their identity, opinions and purpose. With the ever increasing quantity of
performed and static postmodernist art productions within our heavily consumerist society,
however, perceptions of reality are being manipulated and stretched beyond the norm.
Inspired by selected sites and events throughout Sydney, this book examines ideas
concerning the vast adaptability of the definition of postmodernism and its use as a style
within the art and entertainment industries. Through analysis of how diverse ideologies are
applied within the various sectors of both performance art and more traditional forms of art,
for what purpose and its overall effect on modern society, knowledge of the artists
intentions in regards to the interpretation of the encoded message, concept and or ideal/s
within the final product are achieved. Whether through graffiti, street art, advertising,
film, music concerts or even architecture, every form of constructed art is product of some
form of social critique, motivated in response to mainstream cultural beliefs/ values, current
events and or the state of the world we live in.
This book questions the relevance and effects of these industries and their commodities in
relation to modern society, through investigations of postmodernisms fixation with key
themes of identity, society, and technology. By employing key theories and ideologies, such
issues as whether art can remain viable without capitalist tendencies to seek profit and
produce an income, are examined. A large focus is placed on postmodernism within the
chapters, however modernist and traditional ideas are also examined to gain contrast and
solidify the defining differences.
The first chapter, Banksy and the Postmodern Mystery, introduces postmodernism through
an investigation of graffiti as a contemporary form of art work as opposed to an act of
vandalism. This concept is explored in relation to the Oi You! exhibit which was shown at
Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour, back in 2011. This chapter challenges the traditional
feelings toward graffiti by revising the benefits of the artworks, as the conventions encourage
the discussion of critical social issues among society. The effortless accessibility to the art,
and its raw confronting truth, essentially opens up street-art to a much broader audience.
In continuation from the first chapter, Punch for Punch Line: The Battle Between
Advertising and Street Art with Modern Fists and Postmodern Swings further explores street
art, before contrasting key concepts with its association to advertising within public domains. This chapter centres its argument around Redfern train station as the point of
reference in the unearthing of identity, provoked through the combining of art with life.
However, whilst street art prides itself as an anonymous artwork that holds the power to
inspire and influence masses of people, the growing popularity of street art has raised
concerns over corruption of its modest conventions as the art movement has begun
employing Capitalist tendencies and therefore critiques it accordingly in comparison to the
advertisements.
The third chapter (Lady Gaga: See it Through Artpop) follows on from the ideas of art
creating identity, by focussing on how one such individual was able to create an alternate
persona of herself. Through critical analysis of the motives and techniques behind Lady
Preface
Gagas mastery of the art of fame, this chapter examines how in breaking with traditional
means of performance art, Lady Gaga, born Stefani Germanotta, manipulates the media
to focus on aspects of her fame-crazed alternate ego, whilst maintaining attention of her
private life and attracting herds of loyal followers. The incredible ability of her performances
to communicate strong social and political commentary, is proven through this study of her
Australian Monster Ball concert in Sydney. Lady Gaga is not merely depicted as a musician,
but an intellectual performance artist, mastermind and representation of fame as a product.
Drawing on from the performance aspect, chapter four (Presentation of Progress: A Study
of Postmodern Cinema in Relation to Modern Society) explores postmodernism as a genre
within the film industry and how it can be applied aesthetically, metaphorically, and
psychologically through certain choices made by the filmmakers. Taking inspiration from
the Fox Studios Australia establishment, this chapter explores the film industrys
capacity to create hyper-realities through multiple layers of manipulation within the
filmmaking process. Due to the vast popularity of the postmodernist film movement
amongst modern consumerist society, this chapter also raises concerns over societys
escalating inability to distinguish between the real and the simulated.
Finally, Until Death We Will Part from Death at the Start: Tradition to the Postmodern
(chapter 5) explores tradition, modernism and postmodernism within the confines of a
heritage building. The building was originally built as a Mortuary Station, however, for years
since the sites function has drastically changed. Once the mortuary went out of business,
it had transformed into various other viable businesses, such as a restaurant and eventually
a function facility for weddings and corporate event hire. Using this space as a guide, this
chapter raises concepts of traditions of the marriage and death celebrations and rituals, and
questions societys respect for such traditions in regards to the evolution of consumerist
society.
This book has been compiled as a product of the Ideas in History subject, taught at the
University of Technology, Sydney in second semester, 2012. The project involved each student
selecting a specific site and or event within Sydney, which they were to explore and analyse
through the theoretical content that had been studied throughout the course of the semester.
Each student worked independently on a book chapter, then collaborated within a group to
produce this interdisciplinary document over a 10 week period.
The contents of this book is intended for entry-level communication/arts students and
educated members of the general public that wish to gain an understanding into
postmodernisms association with the entertainment and art industries, as well as an analysis
behind its global popularity. This book aspires to provide an intermediate level of
understanding for the key concepts of postmodernisms influence on the industry. Visuals
have been incorporated in moderation to assist in the depiction of key arguments and
maintain an understanding of the text.
Preface
Chapter One
Banksy and e Postmodern Mystery
Alina Risman
Despite what they say graffiti is not the lowest form of art, although you might have to creep
about at night and lie to your mum its actually one of the more honest art forms available.
There is no elitism or hype, it exhibits on the best walls a town has to offer and nobody is put
off by the price of admission (Banksy, 2001).
Street art is a paradigm of hybridity in global visual culture, a postmodern genre that is being defined as an
urban art movement, which constantly challenges a modernist approach to art. Graffiti writing can be
considered as a literal critique of modernist ideologies, an anti-modernist tendency that symbolises the
failure of modernism, created by those who are staking the claim of the individual in the media-obsessed
capitalist society (Lewisohn 2009, p. 117). Banksy is the best known street artist working today, he is revered
within the street art community and recently within mainstream art circles, as one of the most notorious
contemporary street artists. A private Oi You! collection was exhibited on Sydney Harbours Cockatoo
Island in 2011, featuring 23 works by Banksy showcasing an art movement that has become a world
phenomenon. Taking the Oi You! exhibition as a starting point, this chapter will analyse the importance of
street art in the contemporary society, which is designed to be explored and experienced by as many
individuals as possible with different ideas about an artwork, with no final meaning attached (Lewisohn 2009,
p. 116). This chapter will argue that street art completely disregards the modernist established distinction
between High art and Low art, as the culture of street art values meaning, rather than technique and
challenges the notion that art should speak only to the art educated audience, claiming that much of
modernist art generally had little meaning for most people (Emery 2002, p.37). The unexpected placement
of artworks is one of the street arts greatest qualities, in its total public accessibility street art challenges the
modernistic concept of art being institutionalised and art being a commodity, which sees art world as the
world of business. This chapter will also look at the perception of graffiti, and how it has evolved over time.
Postmodernists see graffiti as an art form, rather than vandalism, claiming that viewing art on the streets goes
against the slow, studied, contemplative viewing experience with which have been
conditioned by galleries and museums. Although with increasing number of street artists exhibiting their
works in museums and selling their artworks for commission, it suggests that contemporary society is a
hybrid of modern and postmodern ideas.
Modernism celebrated originality and innovation and modern art took risks to present the art world with
new aesthetic and progressive experiences. During modern era cultural values were created by High modern
artists, who embedded those values in their art practices and made it visible in their art forms. A key purpose
for modernism art was to challenge and transform public ideas of what a work of art is. The aim of
modernism is to seek out the limits that define art in order to discover arts essential principles and
differentiate it from other areas of culture (Malpas 2005, p. 18). The concept of classification of art based on
1. Banksy and The Postmodern
its cultural values and quality was developed during modern period. The high art aims to develop our
cultural visions and it is primarily appreciated by social elites, with the educated capacity to appreciate it
(Plattner 1996, p.7). Street art, as most of the postmodern art rejects the modernist distinction between High
and Low art, rather it retains a sense of art`s mission to confront everyday beliefs and assumptions (Malpas
2005, p. 21). As Lyotard said, that the role of postmodernism is thus to perform an immanent critique of the
day-to-day structures of realism (Malpas 2005, p. 30). Lyotard argues that Postmodernism operates within
the realist context of a given culture to shatter its norms and challenge its assumptions, not with a new set
of criteria drawn from outside of the culture, but rather by showing the contradictions the culture contains
(Malpas 2005, p. 30).
Modern High art was often perceived as having a separate role from the rest of the society and it did not
necessary have to mean anything, it is to be viewed and contemplated. In comparison, street art is not
removed from the real life, but it is rather about life and it is part of life. One of the major distinctions
between modern and postmodern art, is the level of audience involvement in the art process, postmodern art
cleared the boundaries between art and audience, thus merging art with its environment and everyday life
(Kellner 1997, p. 181). In street art, the intersection between the viewer, the artwork and the street cannot be
separated.

The meeting point of art, place and person can be envisaged as its own space, a
moment of recognition, a wink from another human presence which is there but not
there, like a little reflection of self-embedded in the wall (Waclawek 2011, p. 96)
Audiences are extremely important as they are actively involved in the construction of the meaning.
Postmodern artists are concerned with meaning rather than with quality of an art piece. Postmodern
theorists disregard the modernist notion that art can be divorced of meaning, as they suggests that all art
contains signs that signify its meaning, therefore the meaning is culturally and socially defined. The Oi You!
collection presents various works by Banksy, where the meaning of artwork is the main reason why those
works became so popular. His paintings address social issues such as poverty, Capitalism, war and
government. While his images are not overtly political when experienced out of context, they create a
situation, which the artist is the best-known for; in their effortless, humorous imagery, the works are
suggestive (Waclawek 2011, p. 148). Banksy has succeeded in doing what he is revered for; crossing cultural
barriers and with accessible and simple imagery, which can be understood by everyone.

Graffiti has more chance of meaning something or changing stuff than anything
indoors. Graffiti has been used to start revolutions, stop wars, and generally is the
voice of people who arent listened to. Graffiti is one of those few tools you have if
you have almost nothing. And even if you dont come up with a picture to cure world
poverty you can make somebody smile while theyre having a piss (Banksy, 2010)
Modernism tend to ignore negative concepts by focussing on the preferred normal concepts and
concentrating on utopian beliefs in the perfect society, whereas Banksys art covers the subjects from daily
immortality inspired by pollution, African poverty, governmental influence to the war on terror, and adultery
(Jones, 2007). Banksy says I like to think I have the guts to stand up anonymously in a western democracy
and call for things no-one else believes in - like peace and justice and freedom (2010). Banksys artworks give
voice to people, who are not listened to and with his, as some critics may say oversimplified images, he keeps
provocatively commenting about our capitalistic society and he continues to make a splash in the art world.
Contemporary street arts connection to postmodernism started as a rejections to the flows of modernism,
such as the concept of art classification based on its quality or the notion of elite audiences, who had an
ability to understand an artwork due to their education. However, street art was able to establish an
independent discipline that managed to adapt meaning within a constantly changing cultural context.
(images : CNN GO, 2011)
Graffiti; is it a postmodern art form or simply vandalism? This question leads to endless argument. As a
society, we seem to be a little mixed up when it comes to street art. Graffiti became more than just a political
statement; it became an art form, as postmodernists like to call it. However, the concept of graffiti represented
as an art conflicts with modern idea of art being institutionalised as well as challenging the concept of
traditional public use of space. The modernists loved clean white walls, and put forward the view that new is
beautiful, therefore, for the benefit of society as a whole (Lewisohn 2008, p. 87). Modernists see the idea of
street art as an illegal act, where criminals vandalising others property, whereas postmodernists believe that
graffiti is a developing art field, claiming that street art has developed into legitimised form of expression in
our society. Graffiti writers combat the impositions of a consumer society by reshaping the alphabet to
redefine their own identities and their environment (Kramer 2010, p. 239). Banksys true identity is shrouded
in mystery, perhaps to add mystique to his identity, but also to avoid legal charges, that can arise due to the
desecration of public property. His artworks are placed without permission on private and public properties
worldwide, therefore, many would argue that Banksy is invading public space, however, billboards and bus
advertising is also can be considered as an offensive use of public space, which encourages consumerism
culture. Banksy said Brandalism- any advertisement in public space that gives you no choice whether you see
it or not is yours. It belongs to you. Its yours to take, rearrange and re-use. Asking for permission is like
asking to keep a rock someone just threw at your head (2001).
Claiming the difference between his artworks and advertising is that his works encourage discussion of
important social and political issues. The question of whether graffiti is a criminal act or an art form is never
going to be answered, however, in the postmodern society there is definitely a growing acceptance of street
art as an artistic medium. Modernists believed that art is just another commodity, part of the business; they
transformed artworks into material goods, capable of being sellable and marketable. Street art contests the
modern notion that art should be sold, owned or controlled by dominant class individuals, who are able to
purchase artworks and exhibit them in the galleries.
The art we look at is made by only a select few. A small group create, promote, purchase, exhibit and decide
the success of art. Only a few hundred people in the world have any real say. When you go to an art gallery
you are simply a tourist looking at the trophy cabinet of a few millionaires (Banksy, 2001). Many of the
museums were established during modern era and set up as templates to history; their structure is
designed to intimidate the audience with notions of culture and wealth. This has always been a function of
museums, where culture and wealth go hand in hand with a slow appreciation of objects and concepts
(Waclawek 2011, p. 127). The museum viewing experience is targeted toward a fetishisation of the object in
order to gain some deeper understanding, whereas street art is exactly opposite of this, it offers a more direct
and valuable viewing of artworks. It could be in fact be argued that looking at art in the street, with its speed
and real life context, is a more accurate reflection of the world in terms of the way we process information
today (Waclawek 2011, p. 127). Graffiti artists tend to be against the formal exhibition of their work and
choose streets and public spaces as their medium, the importance of street art placement can be analysed
through McLuhans famous dictum, The medium is the message, which is extremely relevant in the
postmodern society. Medium is the part of message and it influences how the message is perceived, therefore
there is a symbiotic relationship between message and medium. The medium is the message because it is the
medium that shapes and controls the scale and form of human association and action (Logan, 1939, p. 353).
Through placement of their artworks in public spaces street artists are able to convey their message through
the medium directly to their audience, without third party interference, as it would happen in the gallery or
museum.
The message is shaped through the medium, as street location gives an artwork extra energy and power to
conduct meaning. There is a unique freedom in a simple act of placing art where they want it. The nature of
street art is constantly changing and perception of street art is also constantly evolving, with growing
appreciation towards street art, over past twenty years numbers of exhibitions have provided artists with
new avenues for their works. Street art is the postmodern world phenomenon, which failed to stay true to its
nature of free and non-commercial art, however it is quite obvious that in the capitalist society a market for
artworks is something that is difficult to avoid. Street art suddenly became highly marketable and saleable;
there has been an insane transformation from something that was a minority taste into a valuable
commodity, creating a new postmodern term post-graffiti. Post-graffiti also seems to be defined by perhaps
less antagonistic, if not more compliant, relationships with the art establishment than previous inscription
cultures (Dickens 2008, p.484). Post-graffiti art is a movement within street art, which is purely commercial
and most of times completely legal, due to artists agreements with authorities and local governments. The
example of commercialising an urban art movement can be seen in the Oi You! collection, which is a private
collection of Banksys works and was organised in agreement with Sydney City Council, it presented a
number of his works that can be sold and bought. It is evident that Banksys motives are not purely artistic,
but commercial as well. He sells his artwork for thousands of dollars, due to his excellent skills of
self-publicity; on the other hand he is a criminal, who paints the West Bank barrier between Israel and
Palestine, claiming that he is fighting for democracy and freedom.

The irony is that while street art exemplifies an anarchic disdain for civic rules
and notions of property, it has become, of all things, protected property. It has
become institutionalised (Sydney Morning Herald, 2012).
It becomes incredibly hard to define the purpose of street art, which suggest the boarders between modernity
and postmodernity are blurred, as hundreds of street artists like Banksy selling their works for commission,
but claiming that graffiti challenges the consumerism culture.
The art world is rapidly changing, from modernism, where art challenged common perceptions and pushed
the boundaries of what people perceive as art to postmodernism, where artists realised that art does not have
a single purpose and it cannot change the world (Malpas 2005, p. 30). Postmodern art refuses the modernist
distinction between the high and the popular art; rather it confronts everyday assumptions
and beliefs, focusing on what is happening in the real world, with all its problems and negative assumptions.
Perception of street art has also evolved over time, which resulted in increase of public acceptance of
graffiti and other forms of street art, moreover, works produced by street artists became valuable
commodities and established a whole new market for divine commodities. Bansky changed the world of
street art and introduced the era of commercialism to the culture that was entirely underground and urban.
Banksy has become a millionaire due to his art talent and marketing skills, yet the effect of his works on the
public and the controversial nature of his artworks has led many to name him a true postmodern artist. Street
art shows the paradoxical nature of contemporary society, where elements of modernity and postmodernity
are both present. Works that are postmodern for one culture can be modern for another. As Lyotard argues,
a work of art can become modern only if it is first postmodern, postmodernism is not modernism at its end,
but in a nascent state, and this state is recurrent (Malpas, 2005, p. 31).
Reference List
Art for arts sake, cameras for crime, 2012, Sydney Morning Herald, 13 September, viewed on 17

October 2012, <http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/editorial/art-for-arts-sake-cameras-for crime-20120912-25snr.html>
Banksy 2001. Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall, Weapons of Mass Distraction, UK
Dickens, L. 2008. Placing post-graffiti: the journey of the Peckham Rock, Cultural
Geographies, SAGE Publications, viewed on 17 October 2012, <http://cgj.sagepub.com.
ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.au/content/15/4/471.full.pdf+html>
Emery, L. 2002. Teaching Art In The Postmodern World, Common Ground Publishing, Altona,

Victoria
Jones, J. 2007. Utopian art goes underground in London, Guardian UK, 12 April,

viewed on 17 October 2012,
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/jonathan
jonesblog/2007/apr/12/utopia artgoesundergroundi>
Kellner, D. 1997. The Postmodern Turn, Guilford Press, NY
Kramer, R. 2010. Painting with permission: Legal graffiti in New York City, Ethnography,

SAGE Publications, viewed on 17 October 2012, <http://eth.sagepub.com.ezproxy.lib.uts.edu.
au/content/11/2/235.full.pdf+html>
Lewisohn, C. 2008. Street Art: The Graffiti Revolution, Tate Museum, London
Logan, R. 1939, Understanding New Media?: ?Extending Marshall McLuhan, Peter

Lang, New York
Oi You! Banksys street art on Sydney Harbours Cockatoo Island, 2011, CNN GO, 2 November,

viewed on 16 October 2012, <http://www.cnngo.com/sydney/play/oi-you-banksys-street-art
sydney-harbours-cockatoo-island-034702>
Plattner, S. 1996. High Art Down Home: An Economic Ethnography of a Local Art Market,

The University of Chicago Press, Chicago
Waclawek, A. 2011. World of Art, Thames & Hudson, New York
Chapter Two
Punch for Punch Line: e Battle Between
Advertising and Street Art with Modern Fists
and Postmodern Swings
Zachary Goldberg
Redfern Station is an important checkpoint of daily migration for a vast collection of citizens from a variety
of social positions that collectively construct Australian society. The significance to the function of peoples
lives makes Redfern Station an opportune sight for ideological state apparatus (such as advertising) to
permeate peoples membrane of purpose, reassuring their identity and place in society. However there is a
new challenger in the ring to this installed identity. Street Art has stepped over the rope, the fence and the
wall, and has left its mark on the face of advertising, shifting the purpose of public space and as a result the
purpose of the individual. So when there are two overwhelming tablets of conflicting ideology telling people
to be two different people, who will they become? Isidentity a single thing, or has it become so fragmented
to the point that people exist in a plurality of self? These two factions of visual media at Redfern Station are
an example of the struggle between modern and postmodern ideas to be the dominant ideas of society. This
chapter will look at the influence that modernism and postmodernism has had on the development and
construction of identity and its close relationship to Capitalism. By applying the theories of Marx, Lyotard,
Baudrillard, Giddens and Hall, the structure of the identity of passengers at Redfern Station will be
uncovered.
What to do? How to act? Who to be? are the central questions Giddens applies to the process of
self-realization and ultimately uncovering a persons identity (1991, pp.70). In the sense of the materialistic
determinism of the current capitalist society, where social superstructures are built on an economic base
(Hall 1986), what a person does, often refers to their means of income. Noted in the introductory paragraph,
the majority of passengers of Redfern Station at its peak hour are in a transitory stage to and from their place
of economic contribution. This transitory stage could have implications of susceptibility to media that
affirms or questions their reasons for working, possibly creating a dissonance in their identity.
The second item on Giddens checklist of the way people act is relative to the way other people act so it is
actually regarded as a social interaction, or a matter of role playing to meet the expectations of norms of a
social class (Blumer 2004). The station is an instance of communication between a large group, where social
norms of a determined walking pace, averted gaze and careful awareness of personal space are expectations
of the performance of character of the passenger. When people dont meet these norms, they are adopting a
conflicting identity that would generalise them into a different social grouping. Giddens looks at the process
of being on a larger scale as adopting a lifestyle, an integrated set of practices that are followed based on
resonant milieux (1991, pp.81). Although the aforementioned social expectations exist at Redfern Station,
there are variations in peoples behaviour, which are a result of lifestyle choices. A friendly person might smile
if they make eye contact with another person and that would warrant a return gesture, if the return gesture
was authentic, this interaction could become a persuasive tool for a lifestyle alteration more similar
2. Punch for Punch Line: The Battle Between Advertising and Street Art with Modern Fists
And Postmodern Swings
to the person of connection. Media around the train station also portray particular lifestyle directions and
similarly have the capability to inspire lifestyle choices (Giddens 1991). Ultimately Giddens portrays identity
as a metanarrative that unfolds as people (in response to their social environments like Redfern Station) ask
themselves what to do? How to act? Who to be?
Modernism and postmodernism are two ideologies that influence a wide range of social and infrastructural
parts of society. Modernism originated as a means of personal, cultural and societal reformation from
humanitys self-imposed immaturity (Kant 1784, pp. 1) with a doctrine of self-improvement through
effort and intelligence (Gillen & Gosh 2006, pp.33). It is closely related to the scientific revolution influenced
by Isaac Newton, where intelligence refers to the ability to apply logic and reason to everything (Gascoigne
2002). The tools of reason, intelligence and effort were all tools of progress towards the human ascension to
freedom i.e. a utopian world of enlightenment where people all think independently from the influence of
traditions (Gillen & Gosh 2006; Gascoigne 2002). This is what Lyotard defines as the Enlightenment
metanarrative, and the defining features of all of modernity i.e. metanarratives (1994). This includes Giddens
metanarrative of the self-therapy of a persons constantly changing and adapting identity. In summary, if the
passengers of Redfern Station are examples of a modern identity, and are part of a metanarrative of
self-enlightenment, then they will be constantly adjusting their identity using logic to understand and
respond to their environment, as a means of self-progression.
Technologies have had a large impact on the individual construction of identity. Human progress in modern
society is measured by its technological developments (Wright 2004). The train and its station were a
landmark for technological development. Their methods of scientific engineering and the support it provides
to enhancing the productivity (and thus the progression) of society make it fundamentally a modern
invention. It is reflective of Gillen and Goshs description of Enlightenment philosophy that is imbued with a
sense of life being in transit from a primitive origin to a utopian end (2006, pp.33). The transitory nature of
Redfern Station is the physical embodiment of the progressive journey to enlightenment.
Above all the tool that has led the progress of society has been the human word, which has the power that
orders our chaos (Cited in Wright 2004). In this sense the train station has aided the productivity of modern
life but the advertising on the walls of the station has kept its modern passengers on the course of progress.
Advertising is an example of what Althusser calls Ideological State Apparatuses, a tool of limiting range of
thought, internalizing and naturalizing certain ideology (Hall 1986). It tells passengers of Redfern Station
what to think about, constantly reminding them of the capitalist and consumerist modern
metanarrative. When passengers pass the Commonwealth Bank CAN advertisement, they are reminded
of the significance of capital and income to making their life work the way they want. This is done through
signs, which act as an index, pointing out to the viewer (Danesi 2002) the influence the economy has on their
life.
The modern ideals of progress have been closely linked to the system of economic progress referred to as
Capitalism. Capitalism rode the wave of technological development that was brought about by the Industrial
Revolution, allowing it to add surplus value to items constructed from far cheaper raw materials (Morley
1996). Capitalism impacted identity by increasing the division of classes, which people would subscribe to,
with an increasing population of the proletarians and the creation of a middle class (Marx & Engels 1848).
The proletarians labour was undistinguishable and their labour a commodity of the business owner. This
alienated a large number of the population reducing their identity from what they do to becoming extensions
of the machine (Marx & Engels 1848). The purpose of the advertisement at the station is to facilitate exchange
(Wells et al 2011) and maintain capital gain.
10
Trade and profession were no longer suitable identifiers; people identified themselves with what they
consumed. Commodities became representative of social status (Marx & Engels 1848). Media technologies
such as advertising maintained the dominance over the proletarian class (Fuchs 2009) aided by the narrowing
topics of literature (Marx & Engels 1848) they directed people to consume like the people they wanted to be.
Majority of media portrays the lifestyle of the middle class, and a large number of people assume the title
(middle class) even though their income and trade doesnt fit the category (Griffin 2006). Passengers are
travelling through Redfern Station and are being influenced by media and making purchases that categorise
them as another class, showing the first signs of a fractured identity. Passengers are not just buying Fanta,
they are buying its ideology More Fanta Less Serious and according to Giddens metanarrative of self-therapy
they are adjusting their lifestyle to resonate with the ideal citizens represented in the advertisement. The same
way that the Commonwealth Bank advertisements narrow passengers train of thought keeping them on track
of the importance of economic wealth to their lives, the Fanta advertisements tell passengers what kind of
life they want. This is done through a use of signs that act as symbols, arbitrarily insinuating through colours,
expressions, point of view and meaningful objects (Danesi 2002) how living the life of this product will make
the viewer happy and powerful.
Not everyone who drinks Fanta is happy or powerful and the same goes for many of the people who have
been caught up in the modern metanarratives. After hundreds of years the modern metanarrative of the
Enlightenment hasnt reached its end, which stirs up questions, why hasnt humanity ascended? Why has
there been so much war and destruction? Wright says that progress has an internal logic that can lead
beyond reason to catastrophe. A seductive trail of success may end in a trap (2004, pp.5). This is the basis of
the emergence of postmodern incredulity to modern metanarratives such as Capitalism, Marxism, and
Giddens self-therapy of the human identity. Where postmodern thinking is against a universal solution for
human goals, it is against teleological thinking (i.e. discovery of hidden truths) and most of all it is against
utopia, on the basis that there are so many different types of people in the world that one persons utopia is
another persons dystopia (Morley 1996). Capitalism has not benefitted the whole of the world; Marxism has
not provided a viable solution and according to the ideals of postmodernism identity cannot be completely
understood. Postmodernism is ultimately an awareness of the limitations of ideas (Morley 1996). However
with the new disillusionment towards modern goals, modern life continues and modern technologies such as
Redfern Station and its advertising continue to feed modern functions.
The rate of production and the increasing rate of change of the environment of society, which is locked in a
perpetual cycle of modern purpose, require identity to keep adapting at a faster pace. Toynbee has created
awareness towards the impact of the rapid rate of change of technology and the increase of inequality on
identity as a crisis referred to as future shock, where identity is not able to adapt fast enough to this
changing environment (Morley 1996). Ultimately identity is shaped by a persons experience of the world
(Malpas 2005) and an unstable world will create unstable identities. For the passengers of Redfern Station
there are too many advertisements presenting so many ideas and demands, being replaced by new ideas and
new demands over shorter and shorter periods of time. Originally identity was understood on the basis of
humanism where humans are the source of all knowledge, but as these multiplying advertisements portray
conflicting truths sourced from humanity, it leads to the passengers identity crisis (Malpas 2005). How can
Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Pepsi and Dr Pepper all provide a person with happiness, but all be better than the
other?
To Baudrillard future shock is a result of the impact technology has had on the system of making meaning
from signs. He describes the rate of technological change as pushing humanity to escape velocity; away from
the referential sphere of what was commonly known as real (Baudrillard 1994). This is where the
simulation of signs no longer has any attachment to their original referent or aspect of reality and merely
exists as a spectacle (Morley 1996). This spectacle has the consequence of the elimination of use-value, where
signs have become commodities for consumption known as commodity fetishism (Koch & Elmore, 2006).
When people are more interested in the sign then reality, Baudrillard terms this as living in hyper-reality
(Morley 1996). This can be seen in the advertising at Redfern Station where the promise of smiles and youth
when drinking Fanta arent actually the reality related to the process of buying, drinking and consuming
11
Fanta, rather they are a spectacle of a constructed reality.

In postmodernity the construction of identity is seen as a question of perceived reality. The aforementioned
modern concept of identity was based on the values of a persons socioeconomic role: What they do, how
they act and whom they are like. However in postmodernity social interaction is perceived differently, where
the consumption of signs is a new method of communication (Koch & Elmore 2006). Postmodern identity
is more self-centred where it revolves on how a person perceives themselves and their purpose (Hamouda
2012). It resonates slightly with Giddens view of adopting lifestyle from media and communication, but the
signs are detached from the original and intended meaning to fit the persons view of themselves (Hamouda
2012). People are not continuously consuming signs, but rather consume signs in independent situations and
will consume signs of a conflicting nature, which causes a cognitive dissonance in the person. Rather than
adapting to the situation, as is the modern interpretation, postmodernity sees people as fragmenting their
identity, creating a multiphrenic-self - a collection of many personalities (Hamouda 2012).
The emergence of Street Art in the public domain has fed the development of the postmodern identity. Street
Art has emerged in response to and inspired by advertising where brands and logos were replaced with
graffiti and tags (Adams & Adler 2008) both refer to objects, but create new meaning for the same sign. Both
advertising and Street Art thrive an economy of public attention. Their difference is due to the strength of
modern ideology, making more socially acceptable because it promotes economic progress (Dovey, Wollan &
Woodcock 2012). Street Art harnesses signs without a referent, such as the tags spread across Redfern
Station titled Soup. They do not identify the existence of soup at its location, or evoke imagery or
connotations of soup; instead they have become a sign that refers indirectly to its unknown artist. Its
simplistic nature is postmodern at heart being incredulous to any metanarrative, by not referencing
Enlightenment ideals of progress, or notions of Capitalism (the artist cannot use it for financial gains without
revealing his identity and thus being fined for vandalism); stripping it of all meaning.
The impact Street Art has on the identity of passengers at Redfern Station is based on its relationship with the
adjacent advertising. In certain situations Street Art has been seen tointeract directly commenting on the
advertising in its environment (Riggle 2010), but generally it is the nature of Street Art as a spectacle
detached from the network of signs that impacts the function of advertising. The spectacle of Street Art
captures the attention of the public (Dovey, Wollan & Woodcock 2012) averting attention from
advertising. The pace of the environment of Redfern Station means that people do not have time to
comprehend the entire visual spectrum of ideology provided by both advertising and Street Art and often
miss the focus of the advertisement. The distraction provided by Street Art has created a shield to the
Ideological State Apparatus from the capitalist systems of hegemony, as a result reducing the influence of the
Capitalist metanarrative on the construction of identity.
Modernism had previously separated art and life, where art was purely aesthetic, but now it is in the
public realm and has social influence (Riggle 2010). As a spectacle it has the potential to amaze and inspire
change providing a new motivation beyond capital gains. Its new system of motivation is based on mastery,
autonomy and purpose (Pink 2009). The competitive nature of Street Art between other artists creates the
thought of mastery in the mind of passengers of Redfern Station. The many voices through different tags
inspire autonomy, getting passengers eager to join the conversation of their own free will. As well artists such
as Banksy who paint with a humanitarian purpose show there is a greater drive then capital gain to exist.
However advertising is still a present reminder of the necessity of income and capital in the current world.
This constant conflict between the different ideologies of advertising and Street Art has fragmented peoples
purpose causing an internal conflict. This has resulted in a multiphrenic self in the passengers of Redfern
Station where they perceive a different reality for individual aspects of life.
12
Identity in the modern world was seen as the way people act and adapt as social players. This chapter has
shown that this is not the case. Identity cannot be described in the modern view as a metanarrative of
progress adapting to the surrounding world, because the surrounding world has changed too fast, dislocating
the meaning of signs from referential space. This change is evident at Redfern Station where the visual space
is cluttered with competing modern and postmodern ideologies represented by their constructs of
advertising and Street Art. Advertising has maintained Capitalist progress, however its reliance on sign
exchange and consumption as well as the alienation of the population through the treatment of labour as a
commodity has resulted in commodity fetishism as a means of identity construction. Because modern
constructs have not fulfilled their promise postmodern media such as Street Art, which are incredulous to
modern metanarratives, have steered people away from the ideals of modern economic progress. Modern
ideology is still present and a controlling factor in society so rather than causing people to adapt to a new
ideology of postmodernity the conflict between the ideological state apparatuses of advertising and Street
Art have divided their personality into a multiphrenic self. This chapter has shown that with the fragmented
identity people such as the passengers of Redfern Station use modern methods of identity construction based
on what they do, how they act and who they aim to be but they also use postmodern methods of
consumption and their own interpretation of reality. For an accurate understanding of construction of
identity the questions should be asked what to do? How to act? Who to be? What to have? How to see?
13
Reference List
Adams, C. & Adler, B. 2008, DEFinition, Harper Collins Publishers, New York
Baudrillard, J. 1994, The illusion of the end in K.Jenkins (ed.), The postmodern history reader,

Routledge, London
Blumer, H. 2004, The Self . In George Herbert Mead and Human Conduct. New York and Toronto, Altamira
Press
Danesi, M. 2002, An Outline of Semiotic Theory. In Understanding Media Semiotics. Arnold Publishing,
London
Dovey, K. Wollan, S. & Woodcock, I. 2012, Placing Graffiti: Creating and Contesting Character

in Inner-city Melbourne Journal of Urban Design, vol. 17, pp. 21 - 41
Fuchs, C. 2009, Some Theoretical Foundations of Critical Media Studies: Reflection on Karl Marx and the
Media International Journal of Communication, vol. 3, pp. 369 - 402
Gascoigne, J. 2002, The Enlightenment and the origins of European Australia, Cambridge University

Press, Port Melbourne, Victoria, pp. 1 16
Giddens, A. 1991, The trajectory of the self , in Modernity and self identity: self and society in the late modern
age, Polity Press, Cambridge, UK
Gillen, P & Gosh, D. 2006, Colonialism and modernity, UNSW Press, Kensington, NSW
Griffin, E. 2006, Cultivation theory of George Gerbner, in E. Griffin, A first look at communication theory,

McGraw Hill, New York
Hall, S. 1986, The Problem of Ideology: Marxism without Guarantees. Journal of Communication Inquiry,

vol. 10, pp. 28 - 44
Hamouda, M. 2012, Postmodernism and Consumer Psychology: Transformation or Break? International

Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 2, pp. 96 - 117
Kant, I. 1784, What is Enlightenment? Lecture in Konigsberg, Prussia
Koch, A. & Elmore, R. 2006, Simulation and Symbolic Exchange: Jean Baudrillards Augmentation of Marxs

Theory of Value Politics & Policy, vol. 34, pp. 556 - 575
Lyotard, J. 1994, The postmodern condition in K. Jenkins (ed.), The postmodern history
reader, Routledge, London
Malpas, S. 2005, The postmodern, Routledge, London
Marx, K. and Engels, F. 1848, The Communist manifesto,
<http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/classics/manifesto.html>
Morley, D. 1996, Postmodernism: the rough guide in J. Curran, D. Morley and V. Walkerdine

(eds) Cultural Studies and Communication, Arnold, New York
14
Pink, D. 2009, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Cannongate Books,

Edinburgh, UK
Riggle, N. A. 2010, Street Art: The Transfiguration of the Commonplaces

The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism vol. 68, pp. 243 - 257
Wells, W. D. Spence-stone, R. Crawford, R. Moriarty, S. Mitchell, N. 2011, ADVERTISING,

Principles and Practice (Australian 2nd ed). Pearson, Frenchs Forest, NSW.
Wright, R. 2004, A short history of progress, Text Publishing, Melbourne
15
Chapter ree
Lady Gaga: See it rough Artpop
Sally Aljaliely
As a member of the music industry and pop culture, Lady Gaga has successfully established an easily
recognizable identity on an international scale. Identifying herself as a performance artist as opposed to a
musician she is turning the familiar into the uncomfortable, unique and questionable. Gaga is challenging
mainstream pop culture and reinventing what is traditional through a highly artistic approach. Ultimately
striving for what she refers to as Artpop. This postmodern approach is disrupting the modern way in which
the ordinary society is used to. Examples of key aspects will be illustrated through examples from Lady Gagas
Monster Ball concert, which was held in Sydney. Further examples will also be drawn on from Lady Gaga
interviews to aid in the analysis of her work. The main issues that are examined includeGagas community of
fans, her fashion choices and her role in questioning gender and sexuality in conventional society.
Lady Gagas challenging approach to mainstream pop culture can simply begin with her name choice. Born as
Stefani Joanne Germanotta (Esther 2009), she chose a name that was distinctive and unlike anything heard of
in the pop music industry. What seem to be two basic words strangely positioned together Lady and Gaga
have a more complex meaning. Van Meter (2011) defines the meaning behind the chosen words, which prove
appropriate and accurate. He describes the Gaga half as an utterance that sounds like an infants first word
but in fact it is French and means, essentially, to be utterly enthralled by something and excited to the point
of being touched by madness. This definition clearly highlights the effect that Lady Gaga has on pop culture.
She is firmly framed as an artist who subverts common stereotypes about fame culture (Varriale 2012).
Plagenhoef (2010) argues that Gaga is unlike the empty fame whores climbing atop the shoulders of
reality TV and tabloid journalism to notoriety, we know next to nothing about her personal life, shes the
anti- Kanye, the anti- Eminem and the anti-Winehouse (Varriale 2012). He continues on to say that her art
is as much the manipulation of that image and notions of modern celebrity as it is music or fashion (Varriale
2012). What Plagenhoef is suggesting is that Lady Gaga appears to be different than the majority of artists in
the current music industry. Through the work she is producing, she is able to twist what is common in order
to reinvent it in a unique way. Ultimately distorting what is acceptable and familiar in pop culture. Gaga has
openly expressed that she has taken much of her inspiration from the pop image-maker Andy Warhol. Peters
(2012) believes that Warhol was the leading figure in pop art working across many different media forms,
whose intention was not to make fun of pop culture but rather to renew it. This is the approach that Lady
Gaga seems to be taking and the links can be drawn through elements of the Monster Ball concert, which will
be further discussed. Corona (2011) describes Gagas affinity for the enigmatic pop artist as an appreciation
for an artistic vision that can both champion and twist the iconography of pop culture through a variety of
media. In an interview with the Guardian, Gaga told Barton (2009)

I strive to be a female Warhol, I want to make lms and music, do photography and paint one day,
maybe. Make fashion. Make big museumart installations. I would be a bit more mixed media than
him probablycombining mixed media and imagery and doing more of a kind of a weird pop-art
piece (Corona 2011).
3. Lady Gaga: See it Through Artpop
16
In regards to creating a weird pop art piece, Gaga has evidently accomplished this through the Monster Ball
Tour. Lady Gagas apparel and aesthetic choices illustrate one of her most fundamental elements, which is her
ability to turn the familiar image into what is unique but at the same time uncomfortable and
questionable. Francis Bacon argued that if the human mind could free itself from the grip of the past, it could
not only discover a wealth of new things about the external world, but it could also do something literally
godlike, it could originate (Gross 1992). What Bacon specifically means is that it could produce ideas never
before thought, and create things never previously imagined. This appears to be the case with Lady Gaga. She
is constantly inventing new ideas that never before have been produced or witnessed and incorporating them
in her performances. Lady Gaga has a team Haus of Gaga who work on the creative aspect, constantly
creating new ideas from costumes, props and staging. An example of one of the many creative inventions
is the entrance of Gaga on stage at the Monster Ball concert. In true Gaga style, she appeared on what was
literally a man-made horse. It is inventions such as this that question the traditional way of performance in
pop culture. In addition to her inventions, Gagas has a highly allusive, almost grotesque, haute-couture style.
Gagas fashion is a fundamental visual instrument in her quest to be seared into popular memory (Corona
2011). What one might call her actual or natural visage is virtually unknown to the public, since she always
appears in costume (Bedard 2010). This perception was clearly evident in the Monster Ball concert where
Gaga was in a different costume at the performance of nearly each song. In total there were eighteen
costume changes (Mossman 2012). Her costumes on stage varied from alien, robot and army like with fabrics
such as latex, leather and her famous meat looking material. Hobsbawm (1993) argues that adaptation takes
place for old uses in new conditions and by using old models for new purposes. This statement can be
supported by Gagas meat outfit, which was first introduced back in 2011 where she shocked the audience of
the MTV Video Music Awards dressing in what looked like raw meat from head to toe. It is through her
fashion choices that she demonstrates how she can incorporate a familiar concept such as meat and adapt it
into a new and artistic manner that leaves the audience fascinated and analyzing the reason behind its use.
In Bacons view, there was no limit to humanitys capacity for creative generation once a stance of empirical
openness toward life was adopted (Gross 1992, p 24). Despite Bacons stress on the new and innovative, he
believed traditional concepts and images were still valuable but only to the extent that they helped
individuals adjust to the alleged advances of modernity (Gross 1992, p25). In the context of Gagas meat
dress, Bacons view can be supported as in order for Gaga to create the new and innovative, the traditional
concept of the meat needs to be acknowledged to start with. The meat concept was displayed during her
performance of the song Poker Face where she was dressed in a strapless meat dress. The entire stage was
turned into what appeared to be a butchers shop with huge slabs of meat hanging on hooks, female
dancers dressed in meat bikinis and to top it all off a giant meat grinder that Gaga gets fed into at the end of
the performance. For the audience to understand this creative concept, they must be familiar with the
traditional image of the meat. When asked about this particular scene in an interview with Vogue, Gaga
described it as Taking out the grotesqueness and making it tailored and sweet (Van Meter 2011). She further
goes on to say that,

There is this assumption that women in music and pop culture are supposed to act a certain way and

because Im just sort of middle fingers up, a-blazing, doing what my artistic vision tells me to do,

that is what is misunderstood (Van Meter 2011).
What Gaga is identifying is her unique approach that she takes which contrasts to the mainstream view of
current pop culture. By wearing what would seem outrageous to an average individual, Gaga has
successfully established an easily recognizable identity on a cultural landscape. Therefore, Gaga identifies
herself as a performance artist as opposed to just a musician as the way she dresses is part of the total performance-art aspect of her life.
The relationship lady Gaga shares with her fans is no ordinary one. Even in this particular aspect she
manages to turn the normal link between an artist and their followers into a unique experience. Gross (1992)
has suggested that a community gives people who share a belief in the same traditions a sense of belonging.
This statement can be explored in the light of Lady Gagas fan base. Lady Gaga has almost created an invented
religion for her community of fans. Gaga and her followers imply this through the terminology
17
used and rituals that they practice. In terms of terminology, Lady Gaga (A.K.A Mother Monster) has
created a community in which both her fans (Little Monsters) and herself belong to. Corona (2011) clarifies
the meaning of the word Monster whereby he suggests that it is used to indict past relationships and fame
and to celebrate the products of that fame, her fans. Her fans are clearly experiencing a sense of belonging to
this community as they share a common interest in the work she is producing. It is through this network that
they can share similar experiences by relating to many aspects such as her music, style or personality.
Anderson (1983) further supports this idea as he expresses We experience most communities we relate to
(White 1997, p13). One of the most fundamental strategies Lady Gaga is using to further strengthen and
attract more Monsters to this community is by attempting to openly link herself to categories of individual
otherness. She does so by celebrating the monster, the freak, or the gay in multiple expressions. She also
draws on her own similar experiences of not tting in at school or being the misfit. Linking back to the
word Monster, it becomes a metaphor for the maddening swirl of images, anxieties, and fads in hyper
modern life (Corona 2011). Gaga explained to Ann Powers (2011) of the Los Angeles Times,

Celebrity life and media culture are probably the most overbearing pop-cultural conditions that we
as young people have to deal with, because it forces us to judge ourselves. I guess what I am trying to
do is take the monster and turn the monster into a fairy tale.
(Corona 2011)
The power of the monster motif lies in being able to attract other self-identifying outcasts to her music and
aesthetic, an effort that Gaga hopes will ultimately empower them to express the monster within them
(Corona 2011). This highlights the possibility of self-empowerment via a celebration of ones otherness.
Through these shared familiarities she is able to build a sense of subcultural membership among fans, as they
are able to relate to her own experiences. However, she is still able to sustain the mass appeal through the
liveliness of her music.
Furthermore, the rituals that Lady Gaga has created again challenge the norms of pop culture. Gaga and her
fans share a famous symbolic gesture of putting ones paws up (creating a claw like shape with the hand).
This almost forms a mode of communication between her and her fans. This gesture is incorporated in to her
choreography, music videos and is simply an expression that was constantly exchanged between Gagas fans at
the Sydney Monster Ball concert. In addition to this, the idea of dressing up to a Lady Gaga concert has also
become a well-known custom. The majority of the crowd was dressed in outfits directly imitating Gaga or
inspired by what she would wear. Males and females of all ages were dressed up in all sort of Gaga attire from
blonde wigs, to leather glittered body suits and even empty Coke cans rolled in their hair. What once would
not be considered a norm at such an event has turned into what is now a tradition. Thus, these rituals support
Varriales (2012) view that culture is not an expression of social distinction but its an expression of an
inclusive community. This is evident as Lady Gagas fans are framed, as this is the community to which they
belong. Her fandom is an expression of love that confirms her social and cultural value yet this is done so in
true unique Gaga style as opposed to the pop culture majority.
Another notion that Lady Gaga questions is the stereotypical idea of gender and sexuality in popular culture.
Nasilowski and Fairclough (2010) suggest that Gaga performs gender roles in a Warholian fashion (Variale
2012). Gaga was able to do this during the Monster Ball concert through the costumes that she wore. Bedard
(2010) has expressed that Gagas body serves as a blank canvas on which a plurality of different
identities not all of them feminine can be projected. Linking this statement to the Monster Ball concert,
at different times Gaga was dressed from pink and feminine to masculine. The staging also illustrated the
contrast in gender roles with the performance of different songs. During the act of the song Just Dance, Gaga
was seen dressed in light pink and surrounded by stage props that included make up and pink feathers. These
items are linked to what mainstream society would associate with the female gender role. This juxtaposed
the scene of Alejandro where Gaga appeared to be in black and khaki army gear accompanied by her male
soldier dancers. Yet this scene would not be complete without a Gaga twist, part of her costume was a rifle
bra. Here again, she was able to turn the familiar concept of an army into a debatable scene raising the issue
of male stereotypes. Foucault states that gender is a performance and
18
nothing more, rather than being a fixed attribute in a person, it should be seen as a fluid variable which can
shift and change in different contexts and at different times (Johnson 2011). A similar view is also shared by
Judith Butler who argues that there is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender, she expresses that
gender is what you do at particular times, rather than a universal who you are (Johnson 2011). This is what
Gaga portray on stage, a performance of gender and this is executed through different ways with the help of
costumes, dancers and props. An example illustrating this concept is during the performance of her song
Americano which is a song about immigration law and gay marriage and all sorts of things that relate to the
excluded communities in America. The dancers presented what appeared to be a bride and a groom in a
wedding dress and a suit dancing around, yet by the end of the song, the bride took off the costume
surprising the audience to reveal that in fact it was a male performing the role of a bride. This act was a
mockery relating to homosexual laws and the mainstream view society associates with marriage. Her
performances have created uneasiness in her spectators and have raised questions about her own sexuality
that remains ambiguous as a result. It is through this approach that she has made an identity of pastiche
(Bedard 2010). These ironies that she is creating are challenging the mainstream way of society, as they
cannot determine who the real Gaga is. Rather what individuals are able to do is touch on discourses of
gender and popular culture to create a temporary image of what Lady Gaga presents as she is constantly
visually evolving. During this process, however, she continues to question the familiar.
In summation, Lady Gaga has successfully established an easily recognizable identity in both the music
industry and pop culture. The performance artist has evidently turned the familiar into what mainstream
society would consider otherwise. Through her unique productions she has created the uncomfortable and
strived to leave people questioning her choices. Gaga is challenging mainstream pop culture and
reinventing what is traditional through her artistic approach and has accomplished this through what she
refers to as Artpop. The ways in which the postmodern approach is disrupting the modern way was clearly
evident in the examples raised at Monster Ball concert through her choices in performance, fashion and
community of fans.
19
Reference List
Bedard, E. 2010, Cant Read My Poker Face: The Postmodern Aesthetic & Mimesis of Lady Gaga Gaga
Stigmata, weblog, viewed 2 October 2012 <http://gagajournal.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/cant-read
my-poker-face=postmodern.html >
Corona, V. 2011, Memory, Monsters, and Lady Gaga. The Journal of Popular Culture. Vol. 10 Issue11, pp. 1-20
Esther, J. 2009, The wild, beautiful, entertaining life of Lady Gaga. Lesbian News. Vol. 34 Issue 8, pp.28-31
Gross, D. 1992, The past in ruins: tradition and the critique of modernity, The University of Massachusetts

Press, Massachusetts, pp 20-40.
Hobsbawm, E. 1993, Introduction:inventing traditions in E. Hobsbawm and T.Ranger (eds), The invention

of tradition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, pp 1-14.
Johnson, J. 2011, The Noose-ance (new sense) of Post, PostfeminismThe Power and Danger of the

Reigning Diva of the Gays in the T(w)eens of the 21st Century Pink is the New Blog, weblog,

viewed 1 October 2012 <http://www.pinkstaristhenewblog.jaelle.net/2011/03/noose-ance-new-sense of-post.html>
Peters, M. 2012, On the edge of theory: Lady Gaga, Performance and cultural theory Contemporary

Readings in Law and Social Justice Vol. 41 Issue 1, pp. 2537
Mossman, K. 2012 Lady Gaga- Review The Observer, Viewed on 1 October 2012
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/aug/31/lady-gaga-born-way-ball-review>
Varriale, S (2012), Is that girl a monster? Some notes on authenticity and artistic value in Lady Gaga,

Celebrity Studies, Vol. 3 Issue2, pp. 256-258.
Van Meter, J. 2011 Lady Gaga: Our Lady of Pop, Vogue, Viewed 23 September 2012

<http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/lady-gaga -our-lady-of-pop/#1>
White, R. 1997, Inventing Australia Revisited in W.Hudson & G. Bolton, Creating Australia:

Changing Australian History, Allen and Unwin, St Leonards, NSW, pp 12-22
20
Chapter Four
Presentation of Progress: A Study of Postmodern Cinema
in Relation to Modern Society
Claudia Drozda
Introduction
Located in the heart of Moore Park, Sydney, Fox Studios Australia is the largest film and television studio
complex within the southern hemisphere. As the product of the globalisation of the American corporation:
20th Century Fox, Fox Studios Australia (2010) has become the leading production studio within the
Australian film industry, hosting minor and major productions alike for both local and international
filmmakers. Since opening its gates in 1998 (Fox Studios Australia, 2010), the studio has seen a predominant
amount of postmodernist film productions utilising its facilities, demonstrating the popularity and
success of the genre amongst modern society. Through an exploration of four of the key definitive
components of postmodernist film: the narrative, the metaphorical, the psychological and the technical, this
chapter will investigate how directors have employed inventive techniques, such as: corruption of the time
continuum of a narratives progression, and experimentation with ideologies such as Capitalism and Marxism
through themes of supremacy and uprising, to effectively explore societys subliminal fear of progress and or
suffering of nostalgia, within the filmmaking process. Through the employment of these fundamental
elements of postmodernist cinema, the Capitalist entertainment industry have discovered the means of
producing highly marketable, and therefore profitable, films. Societys substantial increased fascination with
and demand for postmodernist films, however, has raised concerns over the consequences such exploitation
of depictions of hyper-realities could, and have had, on modern society, which Baudrillard (in Kellner 1989,
p.103) suggests has generated confusion within society of what is real and what is simulacrum. As a result,
our media dominated society has become no more than mindless consumerists caught in a web of illusion.
Postmodernism as a Pastiche
In an attempt to engage audience members beyond the constraints of the screen, pastiche has been tactically
used in postmodernist film as a method of providing an association between a particular scenario, character,
dialogue and or sound within a scene or overall film, in reference to the past. Pastiche is unique in style, as
every product of this art-form is constructed by a different assortment of influences and references, resulting
in a new product every time. Modern society have retaliated to progress by seeking comfort in
nostalgia through pastiche. Throughout a pastiche formed narrative, inspiration can be drawn from a
compilation of numerous classic film plots; a recycling of old movie bits and generic plot lines... to
generate an authentic adaptation, demonstrating how such relics of the filmic past can come alive in the
present (Booker 2007, p.89). Pastiche, therefore, is used to propel the plot through evoking feelings of
4. Presentation of Progress: A Study of Postmodern Cinema in Relation to Modern Society
21
nostalgia. Nostalgia is essentially the pleasure of recognition, and can be employed to manipulate particular
emotional reactions from an audience, at particular instances within a film. Pastiche can provide a comic
relief by creating a parody or enticing the audience to participate as though they are in on an inside joke. The
Fox Studios complex in itself is a pastiche, as it boasts a wide collection of heritage and modern style
buildings and has exterior sets that resemble towns of another time (see Appendix A). This demonstrates how
universally applicable the art style of pastiche is, and is therefore highly appealing to the entertainment
industry, as they expect to gain large profit from already proven sellers.
The use of pastiche in Baz Luhrmanns Moulin Rouge (2001), is a quintessential indication of the film as a
product of one form of postmodernist film. Through Luhrmanns creative choice as the auteur to use
pre-existing proven popular musical scores, he not only avoided having to hire songwriters and composers,
but he also inherited the already established emotional effect of that particular composed song. He therefore
could predict the audiences response, and as a result allowed him to manipulate when and where the
audience would have particular emotional reactions through the score choice. A critic of postmodernism,
Frederic Jameson (in Booker 2007, p.53), argues that this demonstrates the failure of post-modernity to
create something new or unique, as it can only recycle and rehash tired cliches of romantic love songs and
the tragedy of lost love (Booker 2007, p.53). However, through the variety of elements of different film and
performance genres (such as opera, Bollywood and modern and classic Hollywood), it could be argued that
pastiche can create a authentic style, all its own, without the need to create something entirely new. As a
result, Luhrmann revives the enjoyment of musicals and in turn pays homage to the style of Bollywood film,
through a Western adaption; opening the musical style of film to a broader audience. It triggers a sensation
of nostalgia as the audience members gain pleasure in the recognition of the popular musical numbers.
Postmodernism as a Mode of Thought
To gain a postmodernist perspective on multiple levels, filmmakers may choose to incorporate a level of
philosophical thought process through intentionally selected themes regarding specific social and or political
ideologies and principals, to assist in the interpretation and depiction of a overall social critique. It is
important to realise that films in all categories are the unconscious instruments of the ideology which
produces them (Comolli & Narboni, n.d) and as a result, all cinema is political (Comolli & Narboni, n.d) to
some extent. This can be achieved forwardly by presenting the moral argument outright, or, to create
meaningful depth for the film, can be incorporated through symbolism and metaphor, to disguise the
criticism of a specific government or dictatorship by substituting it with a elaborately formed representation.
These representations can come in many different forms, including robotic, alien or foreign threat that
possess ideological tendencies, such as Capitalism or Communism, for example.
20th Century Fox, itself, is evidently a capitalist establishment, and therefore the decision to expand to the
Southern Hemisphere was presumably a result of the significantly alluring tax benefits and incentives, offered
by the Australian government, to attract foreign film productions to Australia. This would largely have been
a strategic move by the company to reduce its production costs, as filming in Australia is cheaper for this
reason, in comparison to the United States. By constructing and maintaining private ownership of their own
studio complex on Australian soil, they have assured that their productions have all the necessary facilities to
accommodate their needs, whilst reaping the tax benefits, to ultimately provide the same quality product for
the consumerist society, at minimal cost to themselves, for greater profit gain. Marxism, however, is greatly
a retaliation against such capitalist ideals. Marxist values are strongly against government control (Poster
1984, p.44) and implements notions that the working class should someday revolt against their upper-class
oppressors and establish a new government of equality and sharing (Poster 1984, p.45). An ideal future
society would therefore have no class system, and as a result, no inequality as the people would govern
themselves.
22
The Hunger Games (2012) presents a strong commentary on Western societys progress as a Consumerist and
Capitalist society. The film is depicted in a futuristic setting, in what was once North America and is now
divided into twelve separate districts controlled by a thriving, upper-class Capitol. District one and two
represent the middle-class, whilst the remaining ten are equal part lower class. The Hunger Games are a
mandatory annual event which calls for one female and one male from each district (elected by a lottery
system) to submit to an ultimate battle to the death. There is one lone victor, and the entire event is televised
for the nation to see. The notion of this event is a suggestion that hyper-real simulations will become so
unsatisfactory in the future, that society will discover a way to return to ancient traditional forms of
entertainment, such as live, un-choreographed, combat as was originally done in the colosseum of ancient
Rome. Although the Capitol states the games are in honour and commemoration of peace between the
districts, the film makes it evident that the sole intention of the games is for ratings and therefore selling
power. As the representatives of district twelve arrive in the Capitol to prepare for the battle, the vast contrast
between the classes in demonstrated (see Appendix B). The upper-class consumerist society are
literally portrayed as ugly through their excessive use colour in such things as makeup, hair and fashion on
both males and females, and through the overindulgent extravagant outfits they wear. The overdone
representation of themselves, depicts them closer to drag queens than to images modern society are used to
associating as upper-class. The main character is seen to go through a process of being groomed to appeal to
these people, and in turn is created into an romanticized and desired product for their entertainment and
consumption. The primary strategy of survival is to literally sell themselves to the viewers in order to gain
sponsors, in hopes that they will support them and therefore survive. Marxist influence is widely
incorporated in the main character; through her sole drive of survival and rebellion against the Capitol and
its injustice of equality, she ploys and manipulates them to point out its systems weaknesses and to prove she
is in more control of her destiny than the government would hope. In an act of respect, to show they are all
equal victims of the consumerist society, she gives a deceased little girl a proper burial, then signals to the
cameras a sign of peace. In doing so she unintentionally sparks riots against the governing force within the
little girls home district. From this point, the film begins to hint at the growing possibility of a revolt. The
Capitol expresses concerns of this threat, stating a little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous (The
Hunger Games 2012), stressing the importance of only giving enough hope to keep the people in formation.
Although the film appears to depict an extreme case of Capitalism, it raises issues concerning the progress
and boundaries of our consumerist society.
Postmodernism as an Aesthetic and Technical Technique
In order to create a visual obstacle, the director can choose to disregard the traditional ideals of time
continuum and or narrative progression, and instead choose to edit certain scenes together in a distorted
sequence of events. This technique is often referred to as time bending or narrative distortion, and can be
achieved not only by the corruption of time continuum, but also through the incorporation of flashbacks,
memories and or dreams. With have access to world-class, state-of-the-art technology and equipment, as well
as facilities, 20th Century Fox spared no expense in the construction of the Australian studio complex, to
ensure it would be able to accommodate each and every need of any given film production. Such technical
facilities have allowed for such techniques to be employed within the filmmaking process. The ultimate aim
of the technique is to generate an uneasy feeling within the audience, whilst keeping them engrossed in the
film, in order to keep up with the narrative and attempt to see if they can figure out the ending before it plays
out. The technique is therefore an emotionally subconscious reflection of societys unease of the future and
never knowing what to expect. The suspense created by this disruption is very effective in maintaining the
audiences focus in this sense.
Quentin Tarantinos cult film, Pulp Fiction (1994), is a primary example of this technique in use. This film
both begins and ends with the continuation of the same scene where two thieves about to hold up a diner. All
the scenes in-between this particular split scene, are then either events occurring prior to or following this
crucial scene, interlaced with some elements of daydreams and flashbacks. The body of the film is made up of
a creatively composed sequence of three separate, yet interconnected storylines based around different
coupled characters. By paying particular attention to the characters: what they are saying,
23
what they are wearing, who is dead and then suddenly alive again, etc. the audience are left to piece together
the order of the remaining in-between scenes as a cognitive puzzle.
Postmodernism Through Incorporation of Simulated Hyper-Realities
As modern audiences are becoming ever-increasingly desensitised by the media, filmmakers are under
pressure to produce exceptionally realistic portrayals of radical simulated hyper-realities, to provide their
audiences with satisfactory means of escapism. Jean Baudrillard expresses concerns that modern society is
becoming a universal globalised economy of simulacra (Baudrillard 1994, p.5) from the excessive exposure
to infinite depictions of simulated realities within our media dominated culture. As a result, Baudrillards
(1994, p.17) theory suggests societys perception of reality has become almost indistinguishable from that of
simulacra.
Fox Studios Australia, is itself, a hyper-real industrial space. In similar respect of Baudrillards (1994, p.5)
ideas on Californias Disneyland; the studio complex is also represented as imaginary in order to make us
believe that the rest is real, when in fact all...(Baudrillard 1994, p.5) of our surroundings are no longer real.
Simulations and hyper-reality thrive in such technologically advanced environments, such as film studios. In
entering the site, almost every element of the surroundings are an imitation of the real. With the vast array of
on-location departments (costume, set design/construction, special effects, CGI, green screen, etc.),
employees are consistently working to make the unreal, real, by creating multi-dimensional
simulated realities; ultimately threatening the difference between true and false, between real and
imaginary(Baudrillard 1994, p.14). Audience members experience the same effect when entering and
exiting a cinema. They enter believing what they are experiencing on screen is an unreal depiction of the
world, reinforcing that the world they themself live in is the real, when in actuality the boundaries of the
hyper-real world have merged with what used to be the real world and thus have resulted in a blurred
division between the real and the substitute; an imaginary effect concealing that reality no more exists
outside than inside the bounds of the artificial perimeter (Baudrillard in Kellner 1989, p.103). Movie
scenarios become a reality within our everyday lives, and our perceptions of reality are turned into movies.
Kant (in Philosophy and the Matrix 2004) famously concluded that the world is a product of a matrix, the
structure of the mind brings forth to the world.
The Matrix (1999) presents an extreme depiction of contrast between the true and hyper-real (see Appendix
C), within a philosophically rich context. The plot itself is a story of enlightenment, as the main character
Neo goes through the necessary process of awaking, to ultimately discover the true reality of the world
around him. He is educated in new ways of looking at, and of being in the world, and how to treat the people
within it. The films moral argument stresses that humanity can only achieve an awakening through
knowledge (Philosophy and the Matrix 2004); presenting the social criticism that people blinded by the
hyper-real world, are completely asleep to the world around them... and therefore they are exploited to the
extent that they are giving up their very life-source... (Philosophy and the Matrix 2004) to power the society.
They are subjected to blind submission to authority as they become dependant on the system, and will
fight to protect it (Philosophy and the Matrix 2004). This presents the idea, that if given the choice, majority
of society would have chosen the ignorance is bliss approach to the real. They would remain ignorant, and
imprisoned within the confines of their mind rather than gain knowledge and be awakened to reality. The
concepts within Baudrillards theory proposes the film is a metaphor for the modern experience in a heavily
commercialized, media-driven society, especially within the... (Baudrillard in Kellner 1989, p.82) Western
world. The Matrix is one of many postmodernist films that depicts the futuristic world in a state of social
decline due to foreign, supernatural or robotic domination and conquer of the world, with mass scale
destruction of the planet. This concept is often explored themes regarding futuristic failures caused by
progression of technology; particularly in the creation of robotics. The Matrix leaves audiences with the
statement that our true reality can only be uncovered in the process of acquisition of knowledge.
24
Concluding Statements
Postmodernist cinema cannot be defined by one set structure that can be applied universally; however, there
are definitive indicators that allow an audience to recognise a film as a product of postmodernist ideals.
Within the multiple layers of manipulation within the filmmaking process, a filmmakers underlying
ideologies are intentionally or unconsciously incorporated to encode an overall moral argument. Postmodern
cinema is essentially the depiction of humanitys subliminal fear of progress and or desire for things that no
longer exist within our present. When we are not confronting fears of futuristic technological advancement
leading to the potential overthrow of our country/planet from a dominating enemy force, we are basking in
the glory of the past through nostalgia. Society is continually unsatisfied by the present and ultimately feel
their lives are lacking the excitements, pleasures and actions that they have seen depicted in hyper-real
simulations within films and look to the past and future to potentially fill that void. The presentation of
progress within postmodern film is therefore largely an expression of social criticism. Modern society is
desensitised to the real and as a result seek means of escapism through radically simulated realities that
rapidly once again become mundane, thus creating a never-ending cycle of pursuit for a reality that does
not exist. It is only through the process and acquisition of knowledge that society will awaken to the world
around them and have their true reality revealed.
25
References List
Baudrillard, J. 1994, Simulacra and Simulation, trans. M. Poster, Stanford University Press, Stanford,

viewed 10 October , 2012, <http://lmc.gatech.edu/~xinwei/classes/readings/Baudrillard/
Simulacra+Simulations.pdf>
Booker, M. 2007, Postmodern Hollywood: Whats New in Film and Why It Makes Us Feel So Strange,

First Edition, Praeger, Westport.
Comolli, J. & Narboni, J. n.d , Cinema/Ideology/Criticism, viewed 19 October, 2012,
<http://people.virginia.edu/~jrw3k/enwr/1067/readings/Comolli_Narboni_Cinema_
Ideology_Criticism.pdf>
Fox Studios Australia 2010, Studio Overview, viewed 18 October, 2012,
<http://www.foxstudiosaustralia.com/studio-overview/>
Kellner, D. 1989, Jean Baudrillard, First Edition, Polity Press, Cambridge.
Moulin Rouge 2001, motion picture, 20th Century Fox, Australia.
Philosophy and the Matrix 2004, DVD, Warner Brothers Pictures, United Sates.
Poster, M. 1984, Foucault, Marxism & History: Mode of Production versus Mode of
Information, First Edition, Polity Press, Cambridge.
Pulp Fiction 1994, motion picture, Miramax International, United States.
The Hunger Games 2012, motion picture, Lionsgate, United States.
The Matrix 1999, motion picture, Warner Brothers Pictures, United States.
26
Appendix
a)
b)
Fox Studios Australia (2010) A pastiche exterior town set.
Screenshot: The Hunger Games (2012) The contrast of the social classes.
c)
Screenshots: The Matrix (1999) A comparison of the extreme depiction of the hyperrealist world
(above) and Baudrillards (in Philosophy and the Matrix 2004) the desert of the real (below).
27
Chapter Five
Until Death We Will Part from Death at the Start:
Tradition to Postmodern
Suzanne Hamid
Introduction
The Mortuary Station is a heritage-listed building situated on regent street Chippendale, Sydney. It has
charming gothic styled architecture is laced with an intricate facade; it also has a significant history
intertwined within the city of Sydney and its outer suburbs. With consideration to the charismatic appeal
of the building many couples regard the site as a romantic setting for weddings. The idea of a contemporary
ceremony conducted within the grounds of the Mortuary Station evokes a melancholic ambiance; however, it
is considered a joyous event.
Prior to the freedom of individualisation of our country now, the settlers and convicts endured hardship
through unsettled social connections. They laboured to support a functional society. Through known
traditions and revelations from the emerging Industrial Revolution they developed and cultured land to
support citizens and built rail networks to support growing industries. There was further growth of the
colony with technological advancement and migration of population therefore demographical expansion was
necessary. This brought forth complexities within social structures assigning strain on traditions. However,
traditions were not lost but merely fragmented as experienced through postmodern times. Today people
incorporate traditional aspects within their social society creating new traditions inspired by historical
architecture, the freedom of movement and individualisation.
Colonisation
During the period of colonial settlement of Australia, the Europeans believed it was for the advancement of
the colony to apply knowledge learned through the Industrial Revolution of Britain to develop industry and
agriculture, therefore, achieving progress with the expansion of a new society and securing a social structure.
It was believed that convicts through labouring were more inclined to integrate into society. Therefore, they
were responsible for assisting in the construction and quarrying of sandstone blocks in numerous buildings
constructed within Sydney and its surrounds. Improvement of the land through convict labour seemed to
bring with it moral improvement as crime was washed away by honest sweat (Gascoigne, 2002, p. 11).
As a result of the varied buildings erected within this period, the city of Sydney is scattered with colonial
architecture serving as a reminder of our identity after colonisation. McDonald (1969) wrote of James Barnet
as being a prominent colonial architect of the time, who served the state for more than twenty years.
During his time Barnet was responsible for many significant buildings in Sydney. Many of the buildings
remain today, including the General Post Office, Customs House, Callan Park Lunatic Asylum and the
5. Until Death We Will Part From Death at the Start: Tradition to Postmodern
28
Mortuary Station, Regent Street, Chippendale. In 1869 the Mortuary Station was opened for the function
of transportation of corpses and mourners to Rookwood cemetery. Mortuary Station is amongst the most
richly carved structures in Sydney and is typical of Barnets approach to the embellishments of his building
facades (The Office of Environment and Heritage 2008). In the context of architectural heritage within
Australia, we have only a couple of decades to reflect upon and we have not been exposed to large disasters
either natural or otherwise, unlike cities within Europe where during conflict buildings were damaged or
reduced to rubble. Therefore, the buildings that remain within our city display our architectural history.
Nevertheless, numerous buildings have undergone restoration because of ageing through environmental wear
and tear. Over the last fifty years consensus on what buildings need to be conserved and to what historical
value they represent has been reached by Australian heritage planners and community groups. In addition,
the consensus of all involved brings us to a point of developing a history of our social environment through
our built heritage. This was described by Lush as:

The significance of built heritage may be in the information it provides that better
helps to understand past ways of life, For example, the layout of old settler cottages
may provide information about how settlers adapted urban planning ways from their
homeland to the Australian environment. (2008, p.67)
The Mortuary Station is considered to be unique in Australia, Barnet adopted the Gothic style for religious
significance and adapted his styling specifically for the purpose of constructing a funeral station with long
open areas and large open archways either end of the platform to accommodate the manoeuvring of the
corpses and the many mourners who were to be transported to Rookwood. The symbolism of the social
journey at the time was through this secular setting intertwined with a traditional set of rituals. This sense of
physical movement is facilitated by buildings such as gothic and neo-gothic churches with long central aisles
along which brides and coffins may process, ... (Cook & Walter, 2005, p.377). This suggests the intent of
Barnets proposed design of the building.
In addition, Federation in 1901 further influenced the development of society, transport expanded through
the colonies linking rail to what we know now as states and territories. Advancement in technologies brought
structuring of roads and development of motorised transportation. Outlined by The Office of Environment
and Heritage (2008), road corteges and motorised hearses replaced the main train services by 1938 and the
Mortuary Train service was limited to weekends for a further ten years. Dogs and horses were transported
from the station and the name was changed to Regent Street Station therefore it was no longer used for the
purpose it was built, the name change advocates a separation of the stations former use.
Furthermore, in 1981, the rail authority of the time (State Rail Authority) decided restoration of the
building was required. The building is under a Permanent Conservation Order, therefore, funding and
consultation was required from The Heritage Council of NSW. After restoration a lease was granted for the
site to be used as a pancake restaurant. Train carriages were used for dining and staff areas, the ticket office
was utilised for the purpose of selling merchandise. An advertisement titled Magic Mortuary Station
(Sydney Morning Herald 20 December 1987, p.55) read: ...See the past come alive as you journey through
time to re-live the Magic of Yesteryear... it was very clever wording to attract the more morbid diners of
Sydney. Unfortunately not enough to keep the patrons returning, the restaurant only remained operational
until 1989. The Mortuary Station was available for hire for the purpose of weddings and corporate functions
until closure in 2009 certainly not a traditional site for such joyous events. The traditional function of the site
changed over time exhibiting the progress experienced with many colonial buildings, the adaptation of the
site enabled further resources to filter back through to government confirming the statement made by Lush
Social capital is built by conservation performing the essential social function of sustaining heritage....
heritage is typically a shared social experience (2008, p.75)
29
Traditional aspects
Tradition can be understood a something passed down from preceding generations. It is through the
inheritance of those values that form tradition which people believe, that the old ways are the best; that
comfort and peace come by holding on to the legacies of the past...(Gross, 1992, p. 20). Therefore, for some
there is a belief to respect the values bequeathed and uphold those traditions. For the purpose of clarification,
my reflection of traditional weddings will relate to Christian ceremonies. In the past families would usually
attend services conducted within a Church and over time they built a bond with the Church and become part
of the parish, from those bonds created traditions were learned. When the time came for the couple to marry,
the ceremony would be conducted within the Church where the couple had had the most significant rituals
that united them with the traditions and beliefs they held. As suggested by Kingma:

In such ceremonies, marriage can be the construed to be somehow at the service of

the society or the church. The bride and groom are saying, in effect, through this
ceremony we submit our relationship to a larger, more commonly held notion of
what marriage is; we will live by societys or the churchs definition of what is right
(1991, p.6).
However, weddings have become a more individualised ritual as outlined by Cook and Walter (2005, p.366)
societies have changed considerably over time especially during The Industrial Revolution. This complicated
the social systems through the migration of citizens and the change of their environment leading to
restriction of traditional ceremonies and the development of multiple traditions. Gross attributed this to
traditions having been transmitted more carelessly and indifferently, since there was less communal pressure
to support and reinforce the value of tradition itself (Gross, 1992, p. 23). For some it was the absence of the
church and the social order they were accustomed, which lead to adaptation of traditional values within their
new social order. This has given rise to blending of different rituals of the same faith and incorporation of
other religious backgrounds adapting, and reinventing to accommodate, creating what Hobsbawn suggested
as Inventing Traditions (1993).
Postmodern
Postmodernism has emerged within the city of Sydney intertwining the sandstones of our colonial heritage.
Facades are retained for prosperity while construction carefully emerges within its shadow. As previously
mentioned heritage plays an important role in holding on to our past. Therefore, some colonial structures
considered irreparable due to environmental wear and tear undertake a reformation through architectural
designs incorporating fragmented materials salvaged from the site. The method of preserving the past in a
postmodern manner was outlined in Malpas postmodernist architectural design focuses on critical
engagement with existing spaces and styles...(2005, p.15) Another method of preservation in our heritage is
to incorporate society with the building as a socialised space. Outlined by Lush (2008) heritage listings are
vulnerable to the changes within Government, therefore, with public consensus the reclamation of
recognised sites throughout our city have a more secure future for our heritage, sites are able to be protected
and maintained. The Mortuary Station is one such site, as mentioned earlier the site has transformed from
the traditional purpose. Citizens would not necessarily know the original function as the name changes of the
site has formed a disconnection to death. However, with the growing concern of retaining heritage, through
societal change, the Mortuary Station after restoration became an area to gather and socialise formally. Lush
explains the need of funding for maintenance has brought forth the necessity to re-establish the function of
many sites to enable social capital. Government owned sites are considered to be a shared social experience...
(Lush, 2008, p. 75) financial gain is an incentive for the Government to advertise heritage buildings as suitable venue hire for formal functions.
30
Moreover, contemporary couples have a broader view of ceremonies and a want to individualise their
special day. Australia as a multicultural society has diversified the custom of ceremonies. Couples are no
longer bound to any one tradition and may have the need to integrate religions and ethnicity. These are
significant factors to be considered in preparation of their ceremony as it marks their transition toward a new
life together. Cook and Walter state The social changes include a weakening of religious belief....a diminution
of authority, increases in individualisation and choice... (2005, p.384) these are factors leading to
contemporary ceremonies.
In addition, contemporary ceremonies are additionally supported through text with phrasing supporting and
encouraging differentiation of social norms one such text was written by Kingma Weddings from the Heart
encourages you to expand the definition of marriage by reshaping traditional elements in a way that you can
acknowledge time-honoured values while creating a highly personalised ceremony... (1995, p.7) an evocative
thought when a couple are choosing a venue such as the Mortuary Station. Another factor that impacts on
the traditional ceremony is the building; older more traditional styled Churches enabled flow and a
romanticised notion of the bride walking down the aisle on the arm of her father, contrary to this, more
modern sites restrict movement. Therefore with postmodern design integrated with traditional sites such as
the Mortuary Station a contemporary ceremony can be conducted more freely, such as the traditional aspect
of the flowing bridal gown as the bride progresses down the aisle. The idea of a Mortuary wedding evokes an
eerily melancholic ambiance within the jubilant celebration.
Conclusion
With the many colonial buildings scattered throughout our city serves as a reminder of traditions built
during settlement. They indicate challenges faced by the convicts in earning a social place within the new
society. The architecture displays the talent of those who designed the buildings and lastly the technical skill
required for the embellishments that are artistically displayed on many facades.
As a newly developing country Australia had no significant established traditions that could be related to by
the settlers, therefore, traditions were re-established where possible and reinvented, to accommodate citizens,
as a sense of social order.
However through migration, diversification within social orders became increasingly more difficult to
maintain. New traditions unfolded as the integration of groups emerged into large cities, further
impacting on the social structures. With this came further development of society through technological
advancement, expanding the city towards outer areas now known as suburbs. Postmodernism has
intertwined within the established colony through the social and into the cultural blend of the citizens within
and then finally throughout our physical society under semblance of tradition.
31
Reference List
Cook, G. & Walter, T. 2005, Rewritten rites: language and social relations in traditional and contemporary
funerals, Sage Publications, vol. 16, no.3, pp. 365-91
Gascoigne, J. 2002, The Enlightenment and the Origins of European Australia, Cambridge University Press,

Port Melbourne, Victoria, pp. 1-16
Gross, D. 1992, The Past in Ruins: Tradition and the Critique of Modernity, University of Massachusetts

Press, Amherst, pp. 20-39
Hobsbawm, E. & Ranger, T., eds. 1993, The Invention of Tradition, Cambridge University Press,

United Kingdom, pp. 1-14
Kingma, Daphne Rose 1995, Weddings from the Heart: Contemporary and Traditional Ceremonies for an

Unforgettable Wedding, 2nd ed., Red Wheel Weiser, San Francisco, C A
Lush, M., 2008, Built Heritage Management: An Australian Perspective, International Journal of

Cultural Property, vol. 5, pp. 65-86
Magic Mortuary Sation1987, Sydney Morning Herald 20 December, viewed 1 October 2012,

p. 59 <http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19871220&id=Z3VWAAAAI
BAJ&sjid=weQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3943%2c3348056>
Malpas, S., 2005, The Postmodern, Routledge, London, pp. 11-32
McDonald D. I., 1969 James Barnet: Colonial Architect, 1865-1890 A Most Meritorious Public Officer,

Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society, vol 55, part 2, pp. 124-40.
The Office of Environment and Heritage 2008, Culture and Heritage viewed 9 October 2012
<http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/heritageapp/>
32
Alina Risman, Production Editor
As a fervent admirer of street art, particularly in the works of Banksy,
Alina Risman takes grave interest in studying both artists and art
works. Currently undertaking a Bachelor of Communications,
majoring in Public Relations, Alina aspires to work as a PR manager,
evident within her exceptional organisational and management skills
that have allowed her to enjoy and be a ideal production manager.
Claudia Drozda, Book Editor
Claudia Drozda is studying a Bachelor of Arts in Communications,
majoring in Media Arts and Productions at the University of
Technology, Sydney. Her incessant passion for film and media
production have driven her to study all types of film genres and styles,
in addition to pursuing various work placements within the
entertainment industry. Claudia enjoys engaging in the study of
numerous aspects of cinema and hopes it will help her to pursue her
aspirations of working internationally within the film industry.
Sally Aljaliely, Legal Editor
Sally Aljaliely is currently undertaking a double degree of Law
combined with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, majoring in
Social Inquiry, in hopes of pursuing a career within the legal
industry. Through her enthusiastic yet professional approach to legal
concerns, Sally demonstrates all the ideal traits that have allowed
her to excel as the legal editor for this book.
Suzanne Hamid, Copy Editor
Suzanne Hammid is studying a Bachelor of Communications in
Writing and Cultural Studies at the University of Technology,
Sydney. Suzanne takes great joy in writing and aspires to publish her
own books in the near future.
Zachary Goldberg, Layout Editor

Born in South Africa, Zac now studies a Bachelor Arts in
Public Communication Advertising. He possesses a strong
interest in Street Art, which he illustrates through his web-comic,
Dee n Dum (www.deendum.com). The artwork and the design of
the book are a result of his graphic design background.
33

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Here Lies Progress

e University of Technology, Sydney Publishing Group

First published in 2012 by The University of Technology, Sydney Publishing Group.

Phone: (02) 9514 2000

1. Banksy and The Postmodern

1. Banksy and The Postmodern

(images : CNN GO, 2011)

1. Banksy and The Postmodern

1. Banksy and The Postmodern

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In such ceremonies, marriage can be the construed to be somehow at the service of

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