View source for Remodernism

{{Short description|Present-day modernist philosophical movement}}
{{confused|Premodernism}}
{{verification|date=February 2024}}
{{use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
[[File:2001 The Stuckists show.jpg|thumb|upright|Show, ''The Stuckists: The First Remodernist Art Group'',<ref>Listed as "Best London exhibition of the week" in ''[[The Guardian]] Guide''. Source: [http://www.stuckism.com/bookarch.html Stuckism.com].</ref> to launch the book of the same name. London EC1, March 2001.]]
'''Remodernism''' is a [[stuckist]] philosophical movement aimed at reviving aspects of [[modernism]], particularly in its early form, in a manner that both follows after and contrasts against [[postmodernism]]. The movement was initiated in 2000 by stuckists [[Billy Childish]] and [[Charles Thomson (artist)|Charles Thomson]],<ref name=packer/> with a manifesto, ''Remodernism'' in an attempt to introduce a period of new "spirituality" into art, culture and society to replace postmodernism, which they said was cynical and spiritually bankrupt. In 2002, a remodernism art show in [[Albuquerque]] was accompanied by an essay from [[University of California, Berkeley]] art professor, Kevin Radley. Adherents of remodernism advocate it as a forward and radical, not reactionary, impetus.<ref name=lewis/><ref name=medina/>

In 2006, the [[Stedelijk Museum]] and the [[University of Amsterdam]] held a talk on remodernism with [[Daniel Birnbaum]] and [[Alison M. Gingeras|Alison Gingeras]]; the introduction to this talked of the revival of painting as a possible return to traditional modernist values, such as [[Authenticity in art|authenticity]], self-expression and autonomy, as opposed to multimedia practice.
<ref name=amsterdam/> In 2008, London ''[[Evening Standard]]'' critic, Ben Lewis, applied the term to three [[Turner Prize]] nominees and saw them amongst a movement which was reviving the [[Formalism (art)|formalism]] of the early 20th century; he advocated values of an aesthetic informed by modesty, generosity and genuine emotion.<ref name=lewis-turner/>

==History==
{{Postmodernism}}

=== Origins and 2000 manifesto ===
[[Charles Thomson (artist)|Charles Thomson]] and [[Billy Childish]], the founders of the [[stuckism]] art movement, inaugurated the period of remodernism.<ref name=packer>Packer, William. "Childish artists coming unstuck", p.13, and "Young pretenders of art have much to learn", p. 20, ''[[Financial Times]]'', March 13, 2001. The text from different editions is the same: "Childish and his co-founder, Charles Thomson, ushered in remodernism, 'a period of art ... to reclaim the vision and spiritual values of the early Modernists and replace the ennui of Post-Modernism'."</ref> Their ''Remodernism'' manifesto was published on March 1, 2000 to promote vision, authenticity and self-expression, with an emphasis on painting, and subtitled "towards a new spirituality in art". Its premise is that the potential of the [[Modernism|modernist]] vision has not been fulfilled, that its development has been in the wrong direction and that this vision needs to be reclaimed, redefined and redeveloped. It advocates the search for truth, knowledge and meaning, and challenges [[formalism (art)|formalism]].

It has a short introduction, summing up: "Modernism has progressively lost its way, until finally toppling into the bottomless pit of Postmodern [[wikt:balderdash#English|balderdash]]." This is followed by 14 numbered points, stressing bravery, individuality, inclusiveness, communication, humanity and the perennial against nihilism, scientific materialism and the "brainless destruction of convention." Point 7 states:
{{quote|Spirituality is the journey of the soul on earth. Its first principle is a declaration of intent to face the truth. Truth is what it is, regardless of what we want it to be. Being a spiritual artist means addressing unflinchingly our projections, good and bad, the attractive and the grotesque, our strengths as well as our delusions, in order to know ourselves and thereby our true relationship with others and our connection to the divine.}}
Point 9 states: "Spiritual art is not religion. Spirituality is humanity's quest to understand itself and finds its symbology through the clarity and integrity of its artists." Point 12 links its use of the word "God" to enthusiasm&mdash;from the Greek root ''en theos'' (to be possessed by God).

The summary at the end starts, "It is quite clear to anyone of an uncluttered mental disposition that what is now put forward, quite seriously, as art by the ruling elite, is proof that a seemingly rational development of a body of ideas has gone seriously awry," and finds the solution is a spiritual renaissance because "there is nowhere else for art to go. Stuckism's mandate is to initiate that spiritual renaissance now."<ref>Childish, Billy, and Thomson, Charles. [http://www.stuckism.com/remod.html "Remodernism"], stuckism.com, March 1, 2000. Accessed 12 September 2007.</ref>

{{Multiple image
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| image1 = Photograph of Billy Childish by Charles Thomson.jpg
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| footer = In 1999, Childish and Thomson wrote a remodernism manifesto, calling for a period of new spirituality in art, culture and society to replace [[postmodernism]].
}}

Childish and Thomson sent their remodernism manifesto to [[Nicholas Serota|Sir Nicholas Serota]], Director of the [[Tate Gallery]], who replied, "You will not be surprised to learn that I have no comment to make on your letter, or your manifesto ''Remodernism''."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20021221052217/http://www.hatii.arts.gla.ac.uk/MultimediaStudentProjects/00-01/9704524l/MM%20Project/Html/stuck2.htm "Stuck on the Turner Prize: Send in the clowns"], [[University of Glasgow]]. Retrieved from [[Internet Archive]] cache of 21 December 2002.</ref><ref>Kennedy, Maeve [https://www.theguardian.com/turner1999/Story/0,,387268,00.html "Shock of the old as paint returns to the Turner Prize"], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 24 October 2000. Accessed 12 September 2007.</ref>

=== Exhibitions (2000–2009) ===
In March 2000 the [[Stuckism|Stuckists]] declared themselves to be the first remodernist art group at a show ''The Resignation of Sir Nicholas Serota''. In April, remodernism was quoted in ''The Gulf News'' ([[UAE]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lethbridge |first=Lucy |date=14 May 2000 |title=Friday 6 |url=http://www.gulf-news.co.ae/18042000/FRIDAY/fri6.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010222155937/http://www.gulf-news.co.ae/18042000/FRIDAY/fri6.htm |archive-date=2001-02-22 |access-date=2025-11-02 |website=The Gulf News}}</ref> In May ''The Observer'' newspaper announced a stuckist show: "As the founding group of a self-named art movement called Remodernism, they stand on an art ticket that's against clever conceptualism and in favour of a more emotional and spiritual integrity in art via figurative painting."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sumpter |first=Helen |date=2000-05-14 |title=Go see... the Stuckists |url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2000/may/14/life1.lifemagazine5 |access-date=2025-11-02 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In June, Thomson and Childish gave a talk on stuckism and remodernism at the Salon des Arts, Kensington, promoted by the [[Institute of Ideas]].<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Stella Vine the Stuckist in photoss |url=http://www.stuckism.com/StellaVine/Salon.html |access-date=2025-11-02 |website=www.stuckism.com}}</ref> The same month the "Students for Stuckism" also gave "a Remodernist show and talk". The Institute of Remodernism was founded by [[Khatereh Ahmadi]].{{cn|date=December 2022}}

In 2001, Thomson stood in the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|UK general election]], stating, "The Stuckist Party aims to bring the ideas of Stuckism and Remodernism into the political arena."<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Stuckist Party - Manifesto 2001 |url=http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/e01/man/StuckManifesto2.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929111320/http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/e01/man/StuckManifesto2.pdf |archive-date=29 September 2007 |website=Keele University}}</ref>

[[File:UNM in the snow.jpg|thumb|The [[University of New Mexico]]: graduates staged a remodernism show.]]

In January 2002, Magnifico Arts presented the show ''ReMo: ReModernism''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020121070755/http://magnifico.org/ "Magnifico presents ReMo: ReModernism"], Magnifico 2002. Retrieved from the [[Internet Archive]] store of 21 January 2002.</ref> of graduate students from the [[University of New Mexico]]. At an artists' talk, Kevin Radley, an art professor at the [[University of California, Berkeley]] said, "Remodernism isn't about going backwards, but about surging forward."<ref name=medina>Medina, Valerie J. (2002)[http://www.dailylobo.com/media/storage/paper344/news/2002/01/17/Culture/Modern.Art.Surges.Ahead-165440.shtml?norewrite200604290131&sourcedomain=www.dailylobo.com "Modern art surges ahead:¡Magnifico! features new artistic expression"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603165002/https://www.dailylobo.com/media/storage/paper344/news/2002/01/17/Culture/Modern.Art.Surges.Ahead-165440.shtml?norewrite200604290131&sourcedomain=www.dailylobo.com |date=3 June 2022 }} ''Daily Lobo'', 17 January 2002. Accessed 29 April 2006</ref> In an essay that accompanied the exhibition, Radley wrote:
{{quote|...there seems to be a re-emergence of confidence in the artist's singular voice&mdash;a renewal of the belief that an artist can explore their own natures without the restraints of the ironic, the cynical or the didactic. To re-contact the notions of presence, reinvent their sense of beauty and renew our need for intimacy.<ref>Radley, Kevin (2002)[https://web.archive.org/web/20021119031536/http://www.magnifico.org/exh_pgm/2002/ReMo_essy.html "RE MODernism: Trajectories towards the NU Modern"] magnifico.org, 1 January 2002. Retrieved from the [[Internet Archive]].</ref>}}
 
The show curator, Yoshimi Hayashi, said:
{{quote|'''ReMo''' incorporates ideas from Modernism, [[Avantegardism]], and Post Modernism; thus synthesizing an alternative and real time contemporary approach to art. In ReMo, issues such as [[multiculturalism]], irony, the [[sublime (philosophy)|sublime]], and identity are considered; however, they do not become the art itself. The reconsideration and redefinition of the traditions are sought not by mere deconstructionism, but rather by connecting new nodes of ideas. Therefore, by definition, ReMo is fundamentally cellular and its roots stem from provincial art settings.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020207064328/http://www.magnifico.org/exh_pgm/ReMo_2002.html "Magnífico presents ReMo"], Magnifico, 2002. Retrieved from the [[Internet Archive]] store of 7 February 2002.</ref>}}

In 2003, an independent group, the [[Stuckist Photographers]], was founded by Andy Bullock and Larry Dunstan with a statement of endorsement for remodernism.<ref>[http://nml.ac.uk/walker/exhibitions/stuckists/photography/ "The Stuckists Photographers"]{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}, Walker Art Gallery, National Museums Liverpool. Accessed 12 September 2007.</ref>

In 2004, the Defastenists, a new group of creatives in Ireland, declared themselves remodernist.<ref>[http://www.stuckism.com/news.html#Defastenism "News: Defastenism—A Remodernist art group"], stuckism.com, 13 May 2004. Retrieved 15 October 2009.</ref> A Remodernist art gallery, The Deatrick Gallery was founded in [[Louisville, Kentucky]].
American film makers/photographers [[Jesse Richards]] and [[Harris Smith (filmmaker)|Harris Smith]] co-founded a new group [[remodernist film]] and photography with an emphasis on emotional meaning and characterised by elements of new-wave, no-wave, expressionist and transcendental film-making.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Stuckist artist [[Bill Lewis]], interviewed by the [[BBC]] at the 2004 [[Liverpool Biennial]], said that remodernism was "not a movement as such",<ref name=lewis/> but a return to the start of modernism in order to move forward with an art for a new paradigm.<ref name=lewis/> To "[[wikt:remodernise#English|remodernise]]" is to go "back to the root again, starting with painting ... and see where it goes".<ref name=lewis/> He said that this had been called reactionary, but it was radical "in the true sense of the word".<ref name=lewis>[[Bill Lewis|Lewis, Bill]]. "Listen to Bill Lewis on Remodernism" (audio) in: Sumpter, Helen. [https://www.h2g2.com/entry/A3039121 "Liverpool Biennial 04"], [[BBC]], 4 September 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2009.<!--EDITORIAL, NOT USER-GENERATED, BBC CONTENT--></ref> New York stuckist artist, [[Terry Marks]] said that remodernism posited that modernism had started in a good direction, but veered from that into "pure idea" and that it was necessary to return to the starting point to take an as-yet unexplored alternative direction: "to pursue art-making that's more concrete and accessible to more people, and find out where that leads us".<ref>Strickland, Carol. [http://www.nyartsmagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2466&Itemid=694 "Stuckist in New York City: An Interview with Narrative Painter Terry Marks"], ''NYArts'', September/October 2004. Accessed 15 October 2009.</ref>

In 2004, Luke Heighton wrote in ''The Future'' magazine, "Remodernism, it seems, is here to stay whether we like it or not."<ref>Heighton, Luke (2004)[http://www.jjcharlesworth.com/thefuture/tend_02.html "Dead Painters Society"]''The Future''. Accessed 29 April 2006</ref> [[Alex Kapranos]] of [[Franz Ferdinand (band)|Franz Ferdinand]] declared 2004 "a good year for remodernism—for having the gall to suggest that artists can have souls".<ref>[[Alex Kapranos|Kapranos, Alex]]. "Alex Kapranos, singer/guitarist, Franz Ferdinand" in: [https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2004/dec/16/1 "The triumphs and turkeys of 2004"], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 16 December 2004. Accessed 29 April 2006</ref>

In August 2005 an art show ''[[Addressing the Shadow and Making Friends with Wild Dogs: Remodernism]]'' (a title taken from a line in the stuckist remodernism manifesto) was held at [[CBGB]]s 313 gallery in [[New York City]].<ref name=vallen>[[Mark Vallen|Vallen, Mark]]. [http://www.art-for-a-change.com/blog/2005/08/stuckists-at-cbgbs.html "Stuckists at CBGBs"], Art-for-a-change, 2 August 2005. Retrieved 1 June 2008.</ref> Artist and blogger [[Mark Vallen]] said, "In the mid-1970s punk rock was born in a dank little New York nightclub called CBGB's. It all started when rockers like Television, the Ramones and Patti Smith launched a frontal assault on the monolith of corporate rock 'n roll. Now another artistic revolt, Remodernism, is about to widen its offensive from the birthplace of punk."<ref name=vallen/>

[[File:Stedelijk1.jpg|thumb|The [[Stedelijk Museum]]: in 2006, it staged a talk on remodernism with the [[University of Amsterdam]].<ref name=amsterdam/>]]

On 10 May 2006, the [[Stedelijk Museum]] and the [[University of Amsterdam]] staged a talk on remodernism by Daniel Birnbaum, contributing editor of ''Artforum'', and Alison Gingeras, Assistant Curator, [[Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum|Guggenheim Museum]].<ref name=amsterdam/> The summary is:
{{quote|Recently, we have been witness to yet another resurgence of interest in painting. Should we view the revitalization of this ancient medium as a return to traditional modernist values like autonomy, authenticity and self-expression? If indeed we can speak of a return to modernism (remodernism), where will this leave multimedial and transdisciplinary practice in the arts?<ref name=amsterdam>[http://www.hum.uva.nl/actueel/object.cfm/objectid=4C91C4D7-146B-491E-A387C4D719E1F53F/templateid=EE5DAE15-6A11-4D8A-A1957AB92F1A1388 ''"Right about now: Remodernism"''] University of Amsterdam. Accessed 29 April 2006</ref>}}

In 2006, artist Matt Bray said, "I do not wish to be considered a Stuckist, as I find some of there (sic) antics unnecessary. The Stuckists are however the first and most famous Remodernist group, so for that, and for bringing this particular manifesto to my attention; I thank them."<ref>Bray, Matt (2006)[http://www.artnowuk.com/ "Art Portal: Matt Bray 2006"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310201229/http://www.artnowuk.com/ |date=10 March 2007 }} artnow.uk.com. Accessed 29 April 2006</ref> In May 2007, with punk singer Adam Bray, he created the Mad Monk Collective in [[Folkestone]], England, to promote remodernism.<ref>Mad Monk (2007)[http://www.madmonk.org/ "Mad Monk"], Mad Monk Books. Accessed May 2008</ref>

In January 2008, London ''[[Evening Standard]]'' critic, Ben Lewis, said the year would see "the invention of a new word to describe the modernist revival: 'remodernism,'"<ref>Lewis, Ben. [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/arts/review-23433131-details/The+London+galleries+to+watch/review.do?reviewId=23433131 "The London galleries to watch], ''[[Evening Standard]]'', 18 January 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.</ref> which he applied later in the year to [[Turner Prize]] nominees [[Mark Leckey]], [[Runa Islam]] and [[Goshka Macuga]], as "part of a whole movement reviving early 20th-century formalism", praising Macuga for her "heartfelt, modest and generous-spirited aesthetic", of which he said there was more needed today.<ref name=lewis-turner>Lewis, Ben. [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/arts/artexhibition-20633160-details/Turner+Prize+Shortlist+2008/artexhibitionReview.do?reviewId=23563236 "Turner Prize 2008"], 3 October 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.</ref> In April 2009, he described Catalina Niculescu, a Romanian artist using "nostalgic"<ref name=lewis-exhib/> 16mm film, as among a significant trend in art of fetishising the offcuts of modernism: "Let's call it Remodernism."<ref name=lewis-exhib>Lewis, Ben. "Exhibition: Atalina Nicolescu/Maurizio Anzeri", ''[[Evening Standard]]'', p.36, 28 April 2009.</ref>

On 27 August 2008, [[Jesse Richards]] published a ''Remodernist Film Manifesto'', calling for a "new spirituality in cinema", use of intuition in filmmaking, as well as describing the remodernist film as being a "stripped down, minimal, lyrical, punk kind of filmmaking". The manifesto criticizes [[Stanley Kubrick]], filmmakers who use digital video, and [[Dogme 95]]. Point 4 says: 
{{quote|The Japanese ideas of [[wabi-sabi]] (the beauty of imperfection) and [[mono no aware]] (the awareness of the transience of things and the bittersweet feelings that accompany their passing), have the ability to show the truth of existence, and should always be considered when making the remodernist film.<ref name="When The Trees Were Still Real">[https://jesse-richards.blogspot.com/2008/08/remodernist-film-manifesto.html "Remodernist Film Manifesto", When The Trees Were Still Real, 27 August 2008] Retrieved 1 September  2008</ref>}}
In 2009, Nick Christos and other students from [[Florida Atlantic University]] founded the Miami Stuckists group. Christos said, 
"Stuckism is a renaissance of modernism—it's re-modernism."<ref name=soler>Soler, Eilenn. [http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/pembroke-pines/story/1205885.html "Stuckists display art"], ''[[The Miami Herald]]'', August 29, 2009. Retrieved 21 September 2009.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Remodernist film]]
*[[Neomodern]]
*[[Post-postmodernism]]
*[[Neo-minimalism]]
*[[New Sincerity]]
*[[New Puritans]]
*[[Art manifesto]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Ed. Katherine Evans (2000), ''The Stuckists: The First Remodernist Art Group'', Victoria Press, {{ISBN|0-907165-27-3}}
* Ed. Frank Milner (2004), ''The Stuckists Punk Victorian'', [[National Museums Liverpool]], {{ISBN|1-902700-27-9}}

==External links==
* [http://www.stuckism.com/manifest.html#remod Remodernism Manifesto] (in English, French, German, Persian, Portuguese and Spanish)
*[http://www.stuckism.com/Walker/AStuckistOnStuckism.html#Manifesto Charles Thomson on the writing of the Remodernism manifesto]
*[http://archive.tate.org.uk/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqServer=tb-calm&dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqPos=0&dsqSearch=%28%28text%29=%27Remodernism%27%29 Remodernism manifesto in the Tate Gallery]{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}

{{Remodernism}}
{{Criticism of postmodernism}}
{{Modernism}}
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