An example of triangulation using sources relevant to the essay's themes of parody and pastiche within Graphic Design.
Imitation occurs naturally in life and in a 21st century postmodern era the continual replication of images and ideas has evolved to become a unique form of communication. This form of pastiche and parody can be closely linked to the postmodernist movement. Works from this period across all artistic fields strove to provide ‘a reaction against modernism’ (Tate, 2017), and it became a period defined by the conscious using and re-using of images and concepts. As such, parody and pastiche became common recurring themes, however there has been continued debate as to the significance of the pastiche element in regard to the critical analysis of works from this period, and to the place of parody works in art history today.
One such voice in these debates is Fredric Jameson, an American literary critic and Marxist theorist. Stating that works displaying characteristics of pastiche demonstrate ‘the increasing unavailability of personal style’, it is his belief that the postmodernist movement resulted in the ‘random cannibalisation’ of ideas and what emerged was ‘a culture that is more concerned with reproduction rather than production’ (Jameson, 1991, p.16-17). A large majority of the works produced in the immediate postmodern period were heavily influenced by what came before, and saw the practice of re-using and re-making begin to permeate, however, Linda Hutcheon, a Canadian academic working in the fields of literary theory and criticism, provides a convincing counter argument. Hutcheon is of the belief that ‘parodic references to history reinstate a dialogue with the past’ (Hutcheon, 1986, p. 180) and that these references rightly open up critical conversations, allowing an audience to become aware of what preceded it.
Furthermore, ‘postmodernism is a fundamentally contradictory enterprise: its art forms use and abuse, install and then subvert convention in parodic ways, self-consciously pointing to its critical or ironic re-reading of the art of the past’ (Hutcheon, 1986, p. 180) - parodic works don’t necessarily represent blind imitation but instead show a deliberate political, historical and social awareness that reflects a deeper context. Hutcheon’s ideas are also paralleled by author and design critic Steven Heller. Within the context of graphic design he claims that ‘borrowing existing mannerisms provides familiar codes with limited risk’ (Heller and Vienne, 2012, p. 16) and that pastiche devices can be significant in allowing an audience to connect to a piece of design that they might otherwise not have related to.
Anon (2017) Postmodernism, Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/postmodernism
Hutcheon. L (1986) The Politics of Postmodernism: Parody and History (Routledge, 1989). : Routledge.