> What are the key components of Post Modernism?

As a simple way of putting it, Post Modernism is a critique of modernism and the structures of our modern world with the key point being made that there is no absolute truth. Expanding on this ideology you can see that often social constructs are brought into question or torn down by those with the Post-Modern view. Where the majority followed the belief of things being very black and white (Good vs Evil, male or female) the perspective of Post Modernism was the shades of grey in between, weakening the once powerful and unquestionable ideologies. These shades of grey offer light to minorities such as those in the LGBT+ community, ethnic/religious minorities and movements that strayed from the ideals of the time that were often barely regarded by the masses. Why should gender and sexuality be so binary and restrictive? Why should minorities be ignored or walked over? These are just two of the questions that PostModernism asks.

Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into the Met. Museum? 1989 Guerrilla Girls null Purchased 2003 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/P78793

The image above was created by an anonymous group of radical feminist, female artists called Guerrilla Girls who were dedicated to fighting both sexism and racism within the art world. Their entry to the art world ‘Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into The Met. Museum?’ in 1989 called out the museums, critics, curators and artists for the lack of artwork created by women and artists of colour in mainstream exhibitions.  The Guerrilla Girls and their work falls under the post modern title as it brings into the question the sexism of the art world with the question as to why female artists can’t seem to get their artworks in museums yet so many of the nude pieces in art gallery’s are of women.

What games do you think exemplify this in their design decisions?

If PostModernism is a critique of the norms and structures, then I can only think of prime example that shows this critique; Bioshock: Infinite. Where the game may stand as the weaker entry in the Bioshock trilogy it does stand as a rare case where the game is in some way critiquing itself and other games like it. The ending, if convoluted, took a long hard look at the series, Elizabeth/Anna quoted as saying “There’s always a lighthouse, there’s always a man, there’s always a city.” This stands as a critique of the formulaic structure of the series as well as breaking down the idea of the player playing the game, instead suggesting that the game has been playing with you.  Video games offer a truth that players have the ability to choose but Bioshock: Infinite makes the point that really, the player never really had the ability to choose to start with, Bioshock is still linear and predetermined as any other game but this one is just somewhat better at hiding this fact.

Wong, K. (2013) Three Postmodern Games: Self-Reflexive Metacommentary [online] Available at: https://the-artifice.com/three-postmodern-games-self-reflexive-metacommentary/ [Accessed 1 December 2017] Padilla, P. (2015) Bioshock Infinite and Postmodernism [online] postmodernmystery Available at: https://postmodernmystery.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/bioshock-infinity-and-postmodernism [Accessed 1 December 2017] UnboringLearning(2012) Post-Modernism
Available at: https://youtu.be/DO_gaxFIRXw [Accessed 1 December 2017] ‘Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into the Met. Museum?’, Guerrilla Girls, 1989 Tate [online] Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/guerrilla-girls-do-women-have-to-be-naked-to-get-into-the-met-museum-p78793 [Accessed 1 December 2017]